The Catacombs
by Ms Monypeny
Summary: S/U - The planet Kinmoku was rebuilt but on top of what? Revenge is powerful, but can the senshi over come? And will a trip to the mind's eye reveal a hidden truth?
1. one

Part I  
  
The black night engulfed her body. There was no moon here to shed it's cool serene light upon her. No, that's right there no moon, only stars. But what good were stars alone? Why could they not decorate the night sky to make it perfect? Why was it only when the moon was in sight that the whole picture seemed to come together?  
  
There were no limits to the depths that her heart sank to. The longing and agony were becoming all too much for her now a days. To forget her. That's what everyone told her to do. But she didn't want to. If she forgot her that would be the same as saying that she never loved her. And she would rather have died a thousand times than to never have loved her once. She didn't expect anyone to understand.  
  
What would become of her now? Was she really doomed to live the rest of her life with a broken heart? Was there anything she could really do about it?  
  
Her thoughts were loud and clouding her head. She tried to push them away to clear her mind, but her face was burned into her mind. Then when all of the confusion stopped and only her face could be seen she noticed just how quite the night really was. There was not a soul around. She had purposely come here for that reason. She hadn't wanted anyone to see her cry. And why was she crying?  
  
Was it because she had seen an angel and couldn't keep her? Was it because she finally had that burning inside her and how the person who could tame the fire was gone? Or was she crying because she never had a chance?  
  
Maybe it was some of all three. She felt betrayed by her heart. Why had it let her fall in love? And if it was finally ready to love some one why did it have to be her? Was there really anyone else? No. She never would have fallen in love for the rest of her existence if she had never met Usagi.  
  
What was stopping her from being with her Odango? Oh yeah, her Odango didn't love her, at least not the way she wanted her to.  
  
'Am I just going to sit here and waste my life? I can't continue on like this.' But somehow the solitude and the tears felt right. Being alone. You can't get hurt being alone. But you also can't know the joys of being in love if you're alone.  
  
'I need it. I need to feel it. I can't live without her light. I will find her, and this time I won't let her go... What am I thinking?' She knew that she didn't return her love. Once again her hope died out and the darkness took over.  
  
  
  
The breeze was soft on her skin and the sun shone its pleasant rays down upon her. A perfect serene moment in time. A few stray hairs would occasionally cross her face with the movement of the wind. She was alone as she had been often lately. With no battles to fight and no one to save Usagi had all the time that she would ever need.  
  
What was this emptiness that she felt though? She had everything that she could have ever possibly dreamed for and her dream was about to come true in the near future. Why was she feeling this way? A thought of Mamoru crossed her mind as the problem revealed itself.  
  
Unsatisfied, that was a way to put it. She remembered how she had asked him how he loved her and he told her that if just felt good to be with her. This made her start to think. 'Why do I love him?'  
  
She thought back on all the times that she had just looked over at him and thought about how much she did love him and the feeling that she would have flowing through her body. The feeling, that is what she was in love with. She loved him because he could make her feel this way. Her heart would get excited and a wonderful electricity would surge through her body. The adrenaline mixed with fear and love would be all that she would need to live off of for the rest of her existence.  
  
It was gone now. If it faded could it have been love? If you were truly in love with some one it couldn't just fade, right? Maybe it was just the newness of it wearing off, maybe they were falling into a comfortable habit. That wasn't what she wanted. She wanted that feeling back.  
  
'I want that feeling to stay with me for the rest of my life.' She thought to herself as a smile crossed her features. If Mamoru couldn't give that to her then perhaps they weren't in love and she shouldn't be with him.  
  
That was impossible though. She knew her future and she knew what she had to do. It was nice to live in these daydreams though. When she was by herself and thinking of her 'what ifs' that was when she could be free to be just Usagi and not be tied down by the memories of a past life or a future one.  
  
The chains of destiny bound her to Mamoru. Her heart could never be free. What if it could have been? Who would she love? How could she ever explain her past life to some one that only knows the nine to five routine of an everyday life?  
  
She had seen more danger, excitement, love and loss than any other human being on this planet. What would they have to offer her? Or maybe that's what she needed, simple. No.  
  
She was a senshi and therefore knew that it was her duty to follow through with her destiny for the benefit of the entire world. Her suffering would be rewarded in the lives of her people that lived on around her. Only one should have to suffer for the rest.  
  
You can't save everyone. Her gaze moved over the landscape. She had once believed that she could save everyone, no more. When she couldn't even save herself she knew it wasn't true. A beautiful butterfly was caught in a spider's web and she saw the spider approaching it. She thought that she wanted to save them both.  
  
If she took the butterfly out of the net the spider would be hungry. Either way one of these two creatures is going to suffer. It is ok that they suffer just not when she is watching. How could she choose who was going to live and who would be left behind to die? She couldn't, she couldn't just save the beautiful all of the time.  
  
To pick the road with the least amount of suffering, that was the way to go in life and this only reinforced her thought of her bleak future.  
  
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"Where have you been going off to?" Healer called after Fighter who was walking down the hall to her room. She had been disappearing a lot lately now that they were done with the reconstruction of their planet.  
  
Fighter didn't turn or acknowledge that Healer had just been speaking to her but instead kept her pace and continued to walk on her way.  
  
Healer huffed and heard some one come up behind her. She turned around to see who it was. "You should lay off of her for a while. She's trying very hard, don't discourage her." Maker stated calmly.  
  
"Does she think she's the only one with problems around here?" Healer threw her hands up in the air. She calmed and her features softened. "Although, she has been acting a lot better." She smiled at her taller companion and then turned back to watch the direction that Fighter had just walked off in.  
  
"She's been spending a lot of time by herself lately, perhaps sorting out her feelings. Thoughts can be dangerous though, we have to make sure that she doesn't escape reality and begin living for her fantasy world." Maker began as she started walking away.  
  
"What do you mean?" Healer asked as she began to follow her. They were heading in the opposite direction than Fighter. "Why would she want to escape reality?"  
  
"Think about it, if you don't want to be somewhere you leave right? Well what if Fighter didn't want to deal with reality, the world where she couldn't be with the one that she loved. She would try to escape and create a world where she could." Maker realized that she had lost Healer and felt the need to clarify herself. "All I'm saying is that I don't want to lose Fighter to her imagination. La la land is not her home this is."  
  
Using this terminology Healer understood what she was trying to say and nodded in agreement. They would have to start paying attention to Fighter and not letting her be alone as often. Healer would also have to curb her habit of making nasty comments towards her.  
  
  
  
Rei observed the blond on the grass a few yards in front of her. She noticed how distant she had become lately. She would never approach her about it though. Hadn't she had been through enough already? She walked over to her where she was sitting.  
  
Usagi heard some one coming up behind her but passed it off as just some one walking through the park and didn't bother to turn around.  
  
"Usagi." Rei spoke up when she saw that Usagi hadn't noticed her approaching. "What's going on?" She sat down next to her with a smile.  
  
"Nothing, what are you doing here?" She smiled back. Rei had always been one of her very best friends. Even though they were the best of friends, Usagi still felt timid telling her certain things. What she had just been thinking about her life was one of them.  
  
"I was just walking around, getting some fresh air. I ran into Mamoru and Motoki a while back. Were they coming to meet you?" She asked for no particular reason. She had noticed that Usagi didn't talk about Mamoru as much as she had before. Although Usagi showed no feelings towards the matter in front of Rei she knew that there was something going on in her head.  
  
Usagi looked out among the people walking about. "No, they aren't coming to meet me. I don't even think they know that I'm here."  
  
"Do you want me to leave you alone?" Rei asked, the question seeming to come out of nowhere.  
  
"No, why would you say that?" Usagi gave her a sharp look.  
  
"I don't know, you just seem to like to be by yourself lately and I feel like your shutting me out." Rei held her knees up close to her chest as she rested her chin on top of them.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to. I've just had some things on my mind lately. It's nothing really important but they're just things that I can't ignore. You know what I mean?" Usagi tried her best to explain her situation to her without telling her exactly what she was thinking.  
  
"Oi, Kitten!" Haruka waved as she approached the two girls. They waved back at her when they recognized her voice. "Kitten, I just saw Mamoru and he said he was waiting for you to go on your date. Did you forget?"  
  
Usagi looked down at her watch and realized what time it was. "Oh my gosh. he's going to be steamed!" She got up racing off towards the spot where she was supposed to meet him.  
  
"Will she ever be on time?" Haruka shook her head. Rei seemed to be puzzled by something. "What?" Haruka asked as she sat down next to the black haired girl.  
  
"Nothing." Rei shook her head coming out of her daze. "It's just that I just mentioned seeing Mamoru and she didn't even remember that she had a date with him. Do you think they are growing apart?"  
  
The question was blunt and the kind that Haruka knew she couldn't side step her way around. "I don't know what's going on, but I know she has something on her mind. I know you've realized it too. You watch her as much as I do and I'm sure you think of her as much too."  
  
Rei was a bit put of by the smile Haruka was passing her. Was she suggesting that Rei thought of Usagi in a more than friendly way? Rei didn't deny it.  
  
  
  
Frustration hit once again. Fighter made her way to the outskirts of the city to go to her usual spot. This was her time to be alone and this was her place to do it. The outlying grounds that surrounded the city were at a lower level than the city and the palace. Within the city limits all of the buildings, streets and other structures were built up on what seemed to be a delta.  
  
There were tunnels that burrowed under the delta. They were never told what these tunnels were for so they just assumed that they were mines or ventilation for the sewers of the city. It was near these tunnels that Fighter liked to sit.  
  
Why couldn't they just leave her alone to live in peace? She hated the distractions of her life. To be alone with her thoughts, that's all that she needed. Would that be like giving up on her life or living it the way that she wanted to?  
  
It was always peaceful and quite here. No one knew of this spot or that she often ventured there. For some reason the air here felt as desperate as she felt which gave her a sense of comfort. Something else was as pathetic as she was. She was weak and couldn't do anything about it. She had never been weak before and now she couldn't handle it.  
  
Fighter picked up a stick and some rocks. She began swinging the stick like it was a baseball bat. She would take her frustrations out on these innocent rocks. She began slamming the rocks with every loud crack of the rock against the wood a new thought would make it's way into her head as she watched the object disappear down the dark tunnel.  
  
Crack. Will I ever see her again?  
  
Crack. Will I ever love again?  
  
Crack. What will I become?  
  
Crack. How can I go on?  
  
Crack. How can I leave this pathetic life?  
  
With her last rock and thought she felt a wave of hatred pass over her. There seemed to be an ocean of energy flooding out of the tunnel she had just been hitting rocks down. She tried to move but couldn't. She saw nothing but felt everything.  
  
Then just as suddenly as it began it stopped. Not waiting around to find out what it was or if it would wash over her again Fighter took off towards the palace. She glanced occasionally to see if anything was following her. When she peered back she saw nothing but the space that she had just left behind. 


	2. two

Part II  
  
It was dark but she knew her way. Fighter hastily progressed down the hallway. She knew that Healer and Maker would not be asleep yet. Why had she run away? Why didn't she check the place out? Because she was scared. The force that had surrounded her body was unlike any other that she had ever felt. Any hope or happiness that she would have had at that moment was purged from her body and mind until all that was left was her animosity and hopelessness.  
  
Fighter stopped in front of Healer's door, her heart was pounding in her ears. Hesitantly she brought her hand up to knock on the large wooden door. Would they believe her or would they think that she was crazy? It didn't matter, she had to find out what caused this energy and make sure that it stayed subdued.  
  
The banging at the door seemed to echo throughout the hallways. Within seconds Healer appeared in the doorway. "What do you want?" She asked Fighter in a more than annoyed tone. When she saw that she had been running she became concerned. "What happened?"  
  
"Will you come with me to check something out?" Fighter panted still not having caught her breath fully. It had been a long run and she didn't think she had ever run that fast in her life.  
  
"What!? At this time of night?" Healer didn't like the cool night. It was the dampness of the air and the dew all around, it made her feel uncomfortable and lonely.  
  
"Please, it's important." Fighter turned to walk away. "I'm going to get Maker, meet me in front of the palace in ten minutes." She didn't wait for an answer, she knew Healer would come and quickly made her way to Maker's chambers.  
  
Fighter and Maker met Healer out in front of the palace. She had not explained anything to Maker yet either. She wanted to wait until they were both together so that she wouldn't have to repeat herself. "So will you tell us now what this is all about?" Healer was growing more impatient with every second that passed.  
  
The night was cool with a bit of a breeze. "I was on the outskirts of the city." Fighter began.  
  
"What were you doing there?" Healer asked cutting her off.  
  
Fighter shot her a glare. "I thought you wanted to know why I'm taking you out here in the middle of the night? Don't cut me off. As I was saying. I was on the outskirts of the city. THINKING. I was sitting near the tunnels that lead under the delta that the city is built on." The group continued walking they would reach the place that she was telling them about in a matter of minutes. "I don't know what happened but as I was standing there in front of one of the tunnels it emitted this energy. It was like nothing that we have ever come in contact with before. It washed over me like a wave. I was immobile. It didn't hurt physically, but mentally it seemed to make my mind ache. Every hateful emotion and every painful thought that I had ever had in my life came rushing back to me at once. And then just as suddenly as it had come it slipped back to where ever it came from."  
  
Fighter looked at her companion's faces to see what they thought. Neither of them spoke. They were at the place that Fighter had just told them this horrible incident happened. "Are you sure you didn't just fall asleep?" Healer asked. "It could have been a dream." She looked at Fighter, even though she said it she herself didn't believe that it was.  
  
"No, it wasn't a dream." Fighter stared down the tunnel that the force had emanated from. Standing in front of the tunnel she seemed to be miniscule in comparison to the gaping hole.  
  
"Our computers haven't picked up any energy or outside forces." Maker explained as she had just been working with them earlier that day. "If what you say is true, we should have detected it."  
  
"Well we didn't and what I say is true!" Fighter understood how incredulous her story sounded but she was no hallucinating. "I'm going in there. I'm going to find whatever possessed that energy." In a determined stride Fighter began to walk into the opening of the tunnel.  
  
"Wait!" Healer called after her. "Can't this wait until tomorrow morning, when it's light out?" She didn't like the idea of going into a big creepy cave at night.  
  
"What's the difference? Either way it's dark in there!" Fighter had turned around to face the other two. "You don't have to come with me, I can take care of myself." She clicked on her flashlight.  
  
"Yes we do have to go with you. And if you could take care of yourself why did you call us out here to look at this with you?" Maker asked with a smug expression.  
  
Fighter looked at her and smiled. "I needed your analytical brain, but I see it worked against me. So, are you coming?"  
  
Healer looked up at Maker who just nodded her head and the three set on their way into the cave.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Usako, are you happy?" Mamoru asked as he sat across the table from his beloved.  
  
Usagi didn't hesitate in her answer, she was used to covering up these feelings of insecurity in her thoughts. "Of course I am, why do you ask?" Her smile hid everything perfectly.  
  
"No, reason." Mamoru went back to finishing his meal occasionally looking up at Usagi who was doing the same. He knew there was something different about her even if she didn't want to admit it.  
  
  
  
  
  
Maker has her hand up against the wall feeling its smooth surface as they venture farther in to the tunnel. The light from the flash let only spread a small amount of light on the pitch-blackness. If it weren't for the light they would be lost in complete darkness.  
  
"How far are we going to go into this thing?" Healer asked from behind Fighter. They hadn't come across anything unusual, that is anything that you wouldn't normally expect to find in a cave.  
  
"We are going to keep going down this thing until we find what we're looking for." Fighter snapped back. Healer's questions and constant whining were starting to take their toll on her last nerve.  
  
"We don't even know what we're looking for!" Healer stopped in her tracks as the light from Fighter's flashlight turned to shine on her face.  
  
Just before Fighter was about to snap Maker cut into their conversation. "Look at this!" Maker drew their attention to the walls around them. Their flashlights had been concentrated on the floor as to avoid any potential accidents.  
  
"Why would this be here?" Healer walked up and ran her hand over the wall. It was lined with what appeared to be tiling bricks. Her flashlight moved up to shine light on the ceiling above them. "Look, its on the ceiling too."  
  
Fighter looked around. The dirt walls had ended and now they were in what looked like a hallway. "Let's keep going." Was all she said before plunging into the darkness once again.  
  
As they made their way further down the hallway Fighter was out in front of the other two. She wasn't far enough however, that Maker and Healer wouldn't notice her stopping dead in her tracks. Alright maybe that wasn't a good choice of words.  
  
"What is it? What the hell are you doing?" Healer raised her voice ahead so that Fighter could hear her. Fighter said nothing as she continued to look at the wall next to her.  
  
When Healer and Maker caught up to where she was they saw that she had been looking in what appeared to be a room. They in turn peered in also and had the same stunned reaction as Fighter. "What are they doing here?" Maker asked.  
  
"I don't know. I've never seen so many like this before." Fighter commented.  
  
Healer almost lost her stomach as she gazed over the room flooding with human bones. They were in no particular order and there was no way to tell how many were there. If she had to guess she would have said that it was an entire army. Healer couldn't take the sight of it any more and turned away from it while Maker and Fighter stood in amazement. As Healer turned the light from her flashlight shown down the hallway that was still ahead of them. She saw more openings to doorways and saw that the tunnel began to branch off into more paths. "There's more!" She shrieked.  
  
Maker and Fighter immediately turned their attention to what Healer was saying and noticed the same thing. "What the hell is this? Is the city built on a giant grave yard?" Fighter asked almost to herself but her companions heard her.  
  
"Let's get out of here." Maker said her voice a little shaky.  
  
"No, we haven't found what we came looking for yet!" Fighter wasn't about to leave and had an air of determination in her voice.  
  
"No, we didn't find it, but look what we found instead. Fighter please! Let's leave. NOW!!!" Healer was almost in her face her eyes not leaving Fighter's face.  
  
"We should tell the Princess what we've found. Maybe she knows something about it." Maker tried to think of a good reason besides the fact that she was scared to get Fighter to leave.  
  
"Fine!" Fighter said as she turned to the direction that they had just come from. "But if Kakyuu doesn't have the answers then you're both coming back down here with me to find them, deal?!"  
  
Maker and Healer hesitantly agreed only because they knew that they wouldn't be able to leave until they did. They made a slow pace out of the tunnel taking in as much as they could with their now growing dim lights. A wind began to stir from behind them.  
  
Fighter stopped in her tracks as she felt the gentle breeze against her skin. "Do you feel that?" She said in a whisper.  
  
Healer nodded. The wind began to make an echoing sound in the tunnel as it grew a bit stronger behind them. "Something's coming." Maker said in an almost panicked whisper.  
  
The three began to walk backwards as they watched in the direction that the wind was coming from. For no reason Healer turned, faced their destination and took off in a mad dash as the light of the stars became visible.  
  
Fighter and Maker were shocked at the sudden movement and turned to see Healer fleeing. As they turned to do the same they were hit with the same force that Fighter felt earlier.  
  
They were trapped. Whatever was coming out of the tunnel behind them had no challenge in doing whatever it wanted to them. Once again, as suddenly as it had started up it stopped. The three women dropped to their knees onto the ground below when they finally escaped the cave.  
  
Fighter looked at Maker and Healer to see their reactions. Now she wasn't the only one to feel it. It was exactly the same as the last time, they couldn't doubt her any more. Healer's eyes were wide and she was gasping for breath while Maker was on her knees propping her body up with her arms and staring at the ground.  
  
"Come on. We have to tell Kakyuu." Fighter said as she got to her feet.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did you enjoy it?" Mamoru asked while wiping his mouth with his napkin.  
  
Usagi nodded. "Yes, very much." She was silent again as she looked down into her lap.  
  
"Usako, what are you thinking about?"  
  
"Nothing." Usagi picked her head up slightly but still wasn't looking him in the eye. "I just felt like you were taking me out tonight for a reason. We never go out like this any more and it's not my birthday or our anniversary. So what is it?" With this last comment Usagi's eyes were locked with Mamoru's.  
  
Mamoru smiled. "I never could hide anything from you." He took her hands in his over the table. "I'm leaving again." He spoke softly as if he spoke any louder he would break. "I'm going to America to study."  
  
Usagi's face revealed nothing as the news crossed her mind. She slowly withdrew her hands from his and placed them on the edge of the table. "Well good luck this time." Was all she said.  
  
Mamoru couldn't tell whether she was sad, happy, or angry about any of this. Normally he could read her face so easily and know just how to make it better. "Are you saying that you don't mind?" He asked as he put his hand back on top of hers.  
  
"No, I don't mind. This is your dream. Who am I to hold you back from fulfilling it? You wouldn't do it to me, right?" Usagi gave a weak smile to him conveying her sadness.  
  
Mamoru moved to her side of the table and took her up in his embrace.  
  
  
  
  
  
The light rapping at her door brought Kakyuu back from her thoughts. "You may enter." She said in a loud enough voice so that her visitor could hear her.  
  
Fighter entered first followed by Maker and Healer. "Princess. may we talk to you?"  
  
Kakyuu was a little surprised that all three of her Starlights needed to speak to her at the same time and at such an hour of the night. "Please, sit." It must be senshi business.  
  
Fighter explained the situation to her princess and then Maker gave an accurate and detailed description of what they had found. The entire time Kakyuu didn't say a word. "Do you have any idea about any of this?" Healer asked in almost a pleading voice.  
  
Kakyuu stood and crossed the room to take a book from her shelf. When she returned she resumed her seat in front of her Starlights. "Yes, I know what is going on. I had hoped that this day would never come but it's time that you knew for the war will begin soon." 


	3. three

Part III  
  
Kakyuu sat with her Starlights around her. The book appeared to be old and looked somewhat like an encyclopedia. It was hard covered and bound with a golden boarder. The dust lay heavy and thick upon the top of its pages. She slid her fingers in between the pages near the beginning of the book and opened it up to reveal a picture of a battle scene. The Starlights said nothing as Kakyuu began her story.  
  
"What you saw down below the city are the catacombs. I'll tell you how they came to be there because without this knowledge you will have no idea the forces that we must now face." Kakyuu took a breath in summoning all of her being and began to speak again.  
  
"A man by the name of Isai had four daughters. Each of his daughters controlled the four hemispheres of Kinkomu, Kita in the North, Seinan in the South, Hou in the East and Manishi in the West. He was admired as a genius among the people of Kinkomu and some would even have said that he was a legend in his own time. It was no surprise that the people of Kinkomu elected him King.  
  
Under the rule of Isai Kinkomu prospered and peace flourished. The Kinkomians, in general, rejected the feudal, collectivist past and focused, instead, on individualism, inquiry and diversity. As always, a great time of peace cannot be perfect and will be brought down.  
  
People began to distrust the King because of his knowledge of such a wide variety of things. This group of people accused him and his daughters of witchcraft. There were many attempts at assassination but none succeeded. Isai was too well protected and penetrating his guards was near impossible. The group soon realized that the only way to Isai was through his daughters.  
  
The attacks on the King subsided and left him in peace. The King however was unaware that the small group that had been harassing him had dispersed to the four corners of the globe. To the four different hemispheres. Within one night the four daughters, Kita, Seinan, Hou, and Manishi, were massacred in a gory blood bath."  
  
Kakyuu saw her senshi's gasp and cringe at the story that she had just told them but knew that she had to go on. "As you can imagine, when the King learned of this he was driven insane. He wanted nothing more than to see the people that were responsible for his daughter's deaths brought down. He began to make irrational decisions and commands and eventually he was taken from power and institutionalized. Insane, that's how they described him.  
  
While in the institution he mapped out and planned his strategy to regain control of the planet. Some say that he began to practice the black arts. He may have been, no one really knows, but that would explain a lot about what would happen in his future." As Kakyuu told the Isai's story she flipped through the pages of the old book in her hands. Each new page revealed pictures of the horrible scenes that she was describing and below each was a caption explaining the story.  
  
"Isai became consumed by a dark force and was not longer himself. He broke out of the institution and summoned his dark army. The people of Kinkomu cowered under his aggressive presence. There seemed to be no one to protect them from these dark forces and Isai's powers.  
  
The Lunar army had been allies of the Kinkomians. My mother led our troops into battle but we weren't strong enough. We had to call for help.  
  
The Dark Army began besieging the walled Kinkomian city of Cata, our city, in the spring. The situations appeared nearly hopeless. While they tightened the noose around Cata, the entrenched Dark Army was, in turn being systematically squeezed by a Lunar relief force commanded by the beautiful Queen Serenity. She had powerful planetary senshi that made all of the difference in the battle.  
  
Two years of warfare on the sandy beaches and plains near the city had decimated their numbers, as had the ravages of disease and starvation. Stubbornly clinging to their siege works, sandwiched between the walls of hate and despair, the Dark Army was in dire need of both reinforcements and quality leadership.  
  
Queen Serenity's powers had been nearly drained during the long battle. The planet's only hope rested on her young daughter Serenity. The moon princess was against the war and refused to fight. The Lunar forces wavered as their internal struggle waged on. Only when the dark army killed Queen Serenity did her daughter fight back. Serenity's powers were extraordinary. It didn't take long to reduce the Dark Army to dust while Serenity sealed away their souls.  
  
With the remainder of her powers Serenity brought her mother and planetary senshi back to life. She told my mother that she would give her daughter, me, the power to create stars so that Kinkomu would have senshi of its own. With that power I created you three. My Starlights." Kakyuu smiled at them, as they finally knew the truth of their existence.  
  
There was no movement in the room as the four sat quietly. Why hadn't Kakyuu told them about this before? Would it really have made a difference? All at once the silence was broken by Maker's question. "The Catacombs below the city, they hold the bones and ashes of the perished soldiers of that war?"  
  
Kakyuu nodded. "Their bodies and souls are trapped within the soil of this planet. We built our city on top of their graves to symbolize our rise above them in triumph. We never dreamed that those forces would awaken one day."  
  
"But you said that you knew this day would come and that the war is going to begin soon, how can that be if the force hasn't awoken?" Healer asked, all of this wasn't really making sense to her and she wanted answers.  
  
"After the city was built, Queen Serenity warned us of the dangers once it was too late. She said that the souls were sealed, and that the seal may be broken one day. If that seal was to break the Kinkomian people could call upon the Lunar army and the planetary senshi for aid." Kakyuu sighed as she closed the book. "Shortly after this battle the Silver Millennium, which housed the Lunar army, Queen Serenity and the planetary senshi were destroyed."  
  
"How long do we have until the forces awaken again?" Maker asked as she tried to conjure up a plan in her head. This was not light news to swallow but they couldn't just sit here and let this take over.  
  
"What you felt in the catacombs below is just a small amount of their powers. I suspect that it won't be long until it surges with all of its former power and force." Kakyuu hung her head and looked at the ground. "We can't stop it." She said in almost a whisper.  
  
"What do you mean we can't stop it? There has to be a way to stop it. We should call on the Earth senshi for help. We can use every bit of force that we can get right now." Maker stood. She couldn't believe that their princess had lost hope.  
  
"We don't need them to fight our battles, we'll do it ourselves!" Healer stood up face to face with Maker. Her pride had gotten the best of her and was not about to call on outsiders for help.  
  
"You heard what the princess said, even before the Kinkomians had to call on the Silver Millennium for help and assistance. Why should this time be any different?" Maker crossed her arms in front of herself trying to regain her signature cool composure.  
  
Fighter stood coming between Healer and Maker. "Healer is right. We don't need the Earth senshi's help in this. The Kinkomians never had Starlights before and I believe that we can make all of the difference."  
  
Kakyuu, Healer and Maker stood there astonished at what had just crossed Fighter's lips. She was giving up a chance to fight beside Sailor Moon? Without any further conversation Fighter turned and exited the room leaving a very stunned and surprised group of friends behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
"So when are you leaving for America?" The car ride had been quiet until Usagi felt the need to break the silence. She hadn't even so much as glanced at him since they had gotten into the vehicle.  
  
Mamoru didn't answer at first and continued to concentrate on the road ahead of them. Usagi knew this wasn't a good sign. "In two days." He said while he down shifted to take the turn ahead.  
  
He was leaving in two days and this is the first that she had heard about this? How could he have kept this to himself this entire time? Maybe he thought that she would try to keep him here. 'He was going to leave with or without my consent.' "Really?" She almost choked on the word.  
  
  
  
  
  
The solitude of her room once again comforted her. She knew she was being selfish by not wanting to call the Earth senshi for help and she knew that she would have to face questions why from her three companions, but for now she was left alone with her thoughts.  
  
Since they had returned home from Earth Fighter had been trying so hard to suppress any external emotions showing that she still loved Usagi. She didn't want anyone to worry about her, besides, she had to heal this mental wound that plagued her.  
  
The thought of Usagi alone was enough to make her heart ache. If she was to come here to Kinkomu all of those suppressed emotions and feelings that Fighter had pushed down would come flooding back to her all at once. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle this.  
  
"Why was I doomed to be alone?" She asked softly of the ceiling as if it could give her the answers that she so desperately sought. She knew that she couldn't sit here and think about the things that she couldn't have but more importantly she had to concentrate on the things that she stood to loose. Her friends. her life. her planet.  
  
Maybe she should just swallow this and let the others call the Earth senshi? No, she couldn't face her. Besides, Serenity wouldn't have given the Starlights their powers if she planned on having to return one day. 'I wish she was here. This is as much her problem as it is ours.' Fighter's thoughts continued to drift and she didn't notice that some one else had entered the room.  
  
"I think we can take this on by ourselves. I agree with you Fighter." Healer crossed the room to sit on Fighter's bed that she was laying on.  
  
Fighter looked at her with the confusion still dancing in her eyes. "I don't need you bothering me right now. Please leave me alone." Fighter turned her gaze away from her again.  
  
"I know you're thinking about her." Healer looked down to her empty hands that were clasped to one another. "We all know how hard you have been working at trying to keep your thoughts away from her. I just want to tell you that I understand."  
  
"You don't know anything about what is going on with me. How can you understand?" Fighter's tone was cold. "Now please, leave me be."  
  
Healer stood up and looked as though she was on the verge of tears. "Why don't you talk to us about it? If you don't think we understand, why don't you make us? Why can't you just tell us?" Healer cried out as though the frustration had become all too much at the time.  
  
Fighter immediately sat up on her bed and looked Healer in the eyes. "Tell you about it?" The words were hard and you could sense the anger rising in her voice. "Alright I'll tell you about it." Fighter got to her feet and walked until she was about a foot away from Healer almost in her face.  
  
"Fighter."  
  
"No, you wanted to hear about it!" She yelled. "I had to leave behind the most precious thing in my life. Some one that I can't live without but the same time could never live with either. When we got home you all told me to forget about her. How the hell did you expect me to do that at the drop of a hat?" Healer could feel her breath on her face as she shouted the words. Healer began to cry but didn't move. "I did it, I put on a little act for you to make you think that I was forgetting her, to make you happy. Did that make you happy? No! You kept hounding me and bringing back these painful thoughts to stalk me." Fighter backed away a bit and saw the tears on Healer's face and she began to speak again in a softer tone. "My memories are all that I have left, please don't take them away from me."  
  
"Fighter." Healer began once again until she heard the door to Fighter's room open again this time to let in Maker. "I'm sorry." She said in a whisper.  
  
Maker's eyes wandered from Fighter's face to Healer's and knew that a confrontation had gone on. She knew that these two couldn't keep up this wall between them forever and now it had finally come crumbling down in one moment.  
  
Fighter walked strongly passed her two allies leaving them alone in her room as she once again went off to find a quiet area.  
  
  
  
  
  
The house was dark and very quiet. Her parents were away and Shingo was staying with her grandparents. She was all alone, again. She took off her shoes and began to walk up the flight of stairs which led to her room. "Usagi?" She heard a voice call from the top of the stairs. She had been watching each step as she put her foot on it and hadn't noticed the black cat sitting on the landing.  
  
"Hello Luna." Usagi answered in a melancholy tone.  
  
Luna watched as Usagi walked by her without even giving her the usual pet that she had become accustomed to. "How was your dinner with Mamoru?" Luna asked as she followed Usagi into her room.  
  
Usagi flopped down on the bed and looked out her window at the moon that had now risen. "Fine."  
  
The cat looked at the girl with doubt in her eyes. Nothing was ever just fine. Whenever she would come home from a date with Mamoru that is all Luna would hear about for the rest of the night. "Rei called while you were out and said that she would like you to call her when you get in."  
  
Tilting her head up Usagi looked at the cat. "How did you answer the phone? Don't you think people will find us weird if they find out that we have a talking cat?"  
  
This was more like the answer and conversation that Luna expected to hear from Usagi. She sighed and shook her head. "No, I didn't answer the phone." She held up her paws. "Does it look like I grew thumbs? Rei called on the communicator that you carelessly left behind."  
  
Usagi caught the stern look that Luna had shot her. "So what if I left it behind? It's not like there's going to be any battles between now and Crystal Tokyo. What's the point?"  
  
It was dark in the room, Usagi had never bothered to turn the light on as she entered. The only light that illuminated the room was the soft moonlight. Luna began to lecture Usagi on how she should take more responsibility in senshi business and that's when Usagi tuned her out drifting to her our state of consciousness.  
  
He was leaving her again, after he promised not to. Maybe it was for the best. If he were gone perhaps she would have the chance to fall in love with him all over again when he got back. She was tired of this routine and needed something new. 'Distance makes the heart grow fonder, ne?' She thought to herself as her vision drifted to the night sky.  
  
There seemed to be endless possibilities just waiting for her out there if only she could climb out of this cage that held her captive. 'This time it will be different, this time when Mamoru comes back we won't have fallen out of love, we will fall back into it.' A smile appeared on her face as she thought about the love that she would regain.  
  
[pic] 


	4. four

Part IV  
  
The city maintained its usual life as the people of it had no idea what was to come. Fighter looked out of the palace window at the people below. The Princess had decided that they shouldn't tell the population of the city for fear that it would create a mass panic and chaos would soon spread ramped.  
  
They were just leaving them out there, unsuspecting with their doom stalking them. They had no idea what lay under their feet as they walked through the city streets. The past couple of days had been quite and there were no signs of escaping souls. 'I can't just wait here until they decide to attack.' Fighter thought to herself as she turned from the window and walked across the room.  
  
She had to save these people, it was her duty and life to do so. A doubt hit her that she couldn't do it alone but she quickly pushed it away as she heightened her pace through the massive palace. "Where are you going now?" Maker asked.  
  
Fighter stopped in her tracks and turned to face her ally. The look on Fighter's face was explanation enough for Maker as she knew she was headed down to the Catacombs below. "Are you coming?" Fighter asked.  
  
Maker nodded. She knew she couldn't let Fighter go at it alone and wished there was another way. She too felt the helplessness of waiting, like sitting ducks. Maybe if they began the battle before the dark forces regained all of their powers they could cut it off and defeat them. "Should we tell Healer?"  
  
Fighter remembered her outburst from a few days ago. Healer and her hadn't spoken since and perhaps it was for the better. She knew Healer understood now and the tears she shed that night were proof enough of her remorse. It was time to end this. "I'll get her." Fighter turned to Healer's quarters. "Find us jackets so that people don't get alarmed."  
  
Maker nodded and knew what Fighter was referring to. If the royal senshi guards were seen walking around the city of Cata in the middle of the day people would become suspicious and believe that there was something wrong. So to hinder any thoughts that might be stirred up they would disguise themselves.  
  
  
  
  
  
He was gone. Usagi sat alone in her room with her thoughts. School had seemed to be extra long today, although she couldn't remember anything about it. Usagi had been off in her own world lately. She would occasionally let bits and pieces of the real world in but it was never enough to bring her back.  
  
How did she get through this last time when he was gone? Yes, that's right she had Seiya here with her. In many ways she considered him her best friend though they had only known each other for a short time. Her thoughts began to drift again. She remembered the times she shared with the Lights when they were here.  
  
'I wonder how they are doing?' She laid herself out in a comfortable position on her bed. She missed the Lights as anyone would miss a friend that moved away. One thought would lead her to another as she soon found herself thinking of her friends, Rei, Ami, Makoto and Minako.  
  
Why weren't they enough now? Why was it that now that Mamoru was gone that her friends couldn't fill the void that he left? Was there something more to Seiya than she had originally let on?  
  
'I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been with Mamoru when I met Seiya?' Usagi found herself thinking of a life with Seiya. She quickly pushed those thoughts out of her head. 'Why am I thinking of him in that kind of way? It could never have been and it could still never be. Could I have had feelings for him?. Why did I immediately think of him and not the other two Lights?'  
  
The phone rang and cut off Usagi's thoughts.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Healer?" Fighter asked as she pushed open the heavy door. The room was dark and only the faint light from a split in the curtains could be seen. "This is a little decorating no-no in your book isn't it?" She tried to joke with her to break the tension of the situation she had now put the two of them in.  
  
Healer seemed to appear from the shadows. She pushed open the curtains to let the daylight in. "I was thinking." She smiled at Fighter, something she hadn't expected.  
  
"You can't think with the lights on? Well, now that explains a lot of your dumb ideas." Fighter laughed at herself as she saw Healer's expression twist into a pissy face. That was the Healer she knew.  
  
"What did you want anyway?" She crossed her arms on her chest as she waited for her answer.  
  
Fighter's expression turned serious as she again began to speak. "Maker and I can't just sit around here, we're going out. Are you with us?"  
  
Healer said nothing and just nodded as Maker entered the room with three trench coats draped over her arm. "Let's go."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Usagi? Is that you? You don't sound like yourself." Rei's voice rang over the phone.  
  
"Hello Rei. Yeah, it's me. What's up?" Usagi's mood quickly shifted as she talked with Rei. She was back to her chipper self and tried to show no emotions about the fact that Mamoru was gone.  
  
"I was wondering what you were doing this afternoon?" It seemed like everyday conversation that Rei and Usagi would normally have but she knew that Rei had an alterier motive. Taking Usagi's mind off of Mamoru.  
  
"You don't have to do this. But if you want, you can come over here later."  
  
Rei felt a little uncomfortable that Usagi thought that she was just calling her to take her mind off of Mamoru when that wasn't true at all. "Alright, I'll come over. I'll be there around five, ok?"  
  
"Alright. Ja ne!" Usagi hung up the phone and fell back on her bed in her previous position.  
  
I was nice to know that Rei was concerned for her and appreciated her thoughtfulness. With thoughts of Seiya still in the back of her mind Usagi began to think of all the times that Rei told her she wouldn't let her have a date with Seiya. 'Did she really think I was trying to get him alone?'  
  
"What's wrong Usagi?" Luna jumped up on the bed beside Usagi who appeared to be deep in thought. "You look like you have more on your mind than usual."  
  
Usagi turned her head to look at Luna. "You know me too well, I swear." Usagi sighed and knew that Luna would understand anything that she had on her mind but for some reason hesitated in telling her that she had been thinking of Seiya.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
  
  
  
  
The streets were crowded, just as they were any other day. It was amazing that the people were so consumed with their everyday life that no one noticed the powers growing and surging beneath them. The three Starlights said nothing to one another as they made their way through the city.  
  
The streets were crowded and forced the three to walk in a single file line. Fighter paid close attention to the passerbyer's faces as the mingled in with one another. She would try to imagine what was on their minds as they passed. It helped to take her mind off of the true problem at hand. Why was she always looking for a distraction? She was strong enough to think things through, why did she always stop and try to avoid them?  
  
Maker brought up the rear looking somewhat like Dick Tracy. Healer was in the middle, she still seemed to be consumed by her thoughts from earlier. One man in general caught Fighter's eye. She had spotted him at a distance and followed him with her eyes through the crowd. He seemed to be making his way towards her also. Before she knew it he was right in front of her. The man grabbed Fighter by the shoulders, he moved very quickly, and brought his face close to her ear and breathed in a whisper. "We're heeerreeee!" It was a faint hiss but Fighter made it out.  
  
Before she knew what was happening the man had disappeared back into the crowd from which he had emerged. Fighter turned back around to see if Healer or Maker had seen the unusual occurrence that had just taken place. They didn't appear to have and so Fighter turned her attention back to the path ahead of her.  
  
While on their way through the city Fighter began to notice men, women and children smiling knowing smiles at her. They appeared to be almost evil. They had singled Fighter out and chose her to give this sadistic smile to. Fighter had no idea what was going on and knew that she shouldn't converse with the people of the city.  
  
They soon made it to the edge of the city, to the limits. Fighter knew that neither of her companions saw or heard any of the sights that she had witnessed and didn't bother to ask them. They slid down the steep embankment and down to the lower level of ground, to the openings of the catacombs.  
  
"Well what are we waiting for?" Fighter asked as she realized that she was not being followed into the darkness.  
  
There was a certain fear paralyzing Healer and Maker, a voice of reasoning of sorts telling them not to go into the cavern again. They knew that they couldn't listen to this voice however, they couldn't just turn around and run to the safety of the palace this time. They had to face it, them.  
  
Their feet soon started moving on the ground and they had to forcefully drag themselves to Fighter's side at the opening. It was now or never.  
  
Nothing seemed different from the last time they had come here. It was still dark as ever even though it was daylight outside. As they ventured in deeper though one difference made itself apparent. There was an indescribable stench emanating from deep within the labyrinth. The smell became more and more pungent as they ventured deeper. No one spoke for fear of startling or stirring something that they weren't ready to come in contact with.  
  
They were soon in the area of the first set of rooms containing the bones. They looked in and noticed them to be the same as they had left them, and still pressed on. The hallway forked in to different halls. They decided that splitting up would not be a good idea and all ventured down the middle hall. This was the hall that the stench seemed to be coming from.  
  
Their thinking was that if they follow the stench, they would find what they are looking for. Did they even know what they were looking for? No, and the Princess definitely would not have approved of this. Maker stopped in her tracks as an eerie feeling crept up on her. Healer and Fighter noticed her sudden stop and turned to see what was wrong with her. Maker shook her head, she really had no idea what had just come over her but the moment had passed.  
  
They walked by more tomb rooms and noticed that the rooms were empty in this hall. That was strange. Every room up until these few had been piled high with the bones of past warriors. Why would these be empty? Their question was soon answered as Fighter found the origin of the smell.  
  
Rotting and decaying flesh. There were rooms filled with bodies, it had been the smell of death. The bodies were carelessly piled on top of one another and looked as though they were diseased. Fighter held her nose as she looked more closely at the bodies. There were men, women and children. She gasped when her gaze fell upon one body in particular.  
  
It was the body of a small girl that Fighter had seen planting flowers with her mother in the royal gardens just the day before. These bodies had just been placed here. They had just been killed.  
  
"We should get out of here." Maker commented. "I have something to discuss with you, I would appreciate it if it was not here that we did so." Maker had been examining the bodies and Fighter knew that she had figured out the cause of death. Fighter and Healer nodded and they made their way back out of the tunnels.  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi went to the door as the bell chimed for the second time. The rain had started up and she felt bad that she had left her visitor at the door so long. The door opened to display a dry Rei with a gray umbrella. "What took you so long Odango Atama?" She stormed past Usagi who seemed to be in shock. "What are you so amazed at? I told you I was coming by."  
  
Rei's hand waved in front of Usagi's eyes as she came back to reality. What was it with today, she had tried all of this time to forget one person and every though she had today led her to his memory. "Nothing. Yeah you did. so what do you want to do?" She shut the door and turned to the living room.  
  
Rei realized her mistake and immediately felt bad. She knew that Usagi had missed Seiya and the others after they left. They all did, but it wasn't like the way Usagi did. Rei had never let on that she knew anything about it. She figured that now that Mamoru was back Usagi would resume her old habits and become herself again. She had to admit, she did a great job of hiding it. "I was just thinking that we didn't hang out as much as we used to. I miss spending time with you, and I don't think that we need yomas attacking the planet to make an excuse to see each other."  
  
  
  
  
  
When the three were out in the daylight once again they noticed just how dark it had been in there. The darkness had begun to over whelm them and every feeling of despair that they had ever felt could not have compared to it.  
  
"The courpses in there were drained. Something or some one has sucked their souls away. From the looks of it they fed off of their souls until there was nothing left and then discarded the bodies here, where they once laid." Maker spoke as she walked back towards the palace.  
  
"So you're saying that these things have infiltrated the city?" Healer was astonished and couldn't believe that this had been going on under their noses.  
  
"It appears that way, and this isn't something that just started yesterday. They must have been doing this for a while before Fighter found the catacombs." Maker looked around at the faces of the people in the crowd as she walked past them.  
  
"I saw it in them on our way out of the city." Fighter said as she looked straight ahead with a stone face. "One of them came up to me and said that they were here. Cocky little bastards." She scuffed as she remembered the incident.  
  
Healer and Maker began to notice the same thing that Fighter had in the faces of the people around them. The dark forces must have been collecting the souls of the people in Cata to fuel their plans for domination. They had to get back to the palace quickly and warn the Princess before it was too late. 


	5. five

Part V  
  
The infested city lay rotting away slowly outside. The day seemed to drag on as death drew nearer to their door. "The only thing that everyone shares." Fighter said mainly to herself as she thought out loud.  
  
Fighter and Healer were sitting in the drawing room awaiting the Princess and Maker. Healer took a sip of her tea as she joined Fighter in staring out the window. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Fighter didn't move to acknowledge Healer's comment. "The one thing that every person must face in life, death. We're all going to die some day. I just don't want to be out on the street and be picked off by some soul hungry demon out for revenge." Her comment was cold, but Healer agreed and saw her reasoning in it.  
  
It seemed that apathy had gotten the best of Fighter and that she was beginning to lose all hope even if she wouldn't admit it to anyone else or even herself. "That's why the Princess and Maker are working on the field." Healer wasn't about to let her attitude get to her too.  
  
"We're just delaying the inevitable." Fighter huffed.  
  
"What do you want us to do?" Healer slammed down her cup into its saucer. "Until they show themselves we have no idea how to stop them."  
  
The Princess entered the room followed by Maker. Fighter and Healer rose and bowed to their Princess. "It has been successful. Our force field is up. There are actually two different fields." Maker explained the nature of the two fields to the other two Starlights as they were seated. "There is one field around the palace to protect us and the Princess. As far as we can tell, no one has been infiltrated so far on the grounds. The second shield is around the entire planet."  
  
"What do we need a shield around the planet for? They're already here!" Fighter questioned, seeing no point in wasting what little energy they had.  
  
"It is so that they can not call for reinforcements. We will not have to take on outside invaders that they may have tried to summon." Kakyuu sat up straighter in her chair as she addressed Fighter's question. "Don't do anything foolish." She warned Fighter.  
  
Fighter rose to her feet. "Are we just going to sit here and wait for our fate?" Before anyone could say anything in response she turned and stormed out of the room.  
  
"She's letting her emotions get the better of her I'm afraid." Maker commented as she turned Healer's now cracked teacup.  
  
The Princess nodded and Healer took back her cup. "She was always passionate about her duties, but now something has snapped in her." She leaned closer to her two companions. "Do you think that blast she received that one day alone has effected her?"  
  
Maker shook her head almost in unison with Kakyuu. "No."  
  
"I know. I was just hoping that it wasn't because of her heart." Healer turned her attention to the doors that Fighter had exited through.  
  
  
  
  
  
"This is great, just like old times!" Minako commented before shoveling more of her sundae in her already full mouth.  
  
The girls were seated at a corner booth in Crown. They hadn't been there all together in a while. Rei had decided after spending the previous day with Usagi that this was just what she needed.  
  
The warm rays of sunlight penetrated the large window to rest on Usagi's features. She had to admit, they did feel good. The girls had planned to go shopping and then hit the arcade.  
  
Their bags were scattered on the floor around them as their shopping adventure had proven to be quite a success.  
  
Usagi could see the sun setting and beginning to hide behind the mountains in the distance. While looking out the window she noticed two familiar figures approaching the café they were in. 'I wonder what they're doing here?'  
  
"Haruka. Michiru!" Minako wailed. There was just no keeping her quiet today. Everyone else waved and welcomed them over.  
  
"Hey!" Haruka waved and noticed Usagi in the corner. "What's up Kitten?" She winked. Michiru waved a delicate and graceful hello as usual.  
  
"Aren't you going to join us?" Makoto asked, as she got ready to scootch in.  
  
"No, actually we were just passing by and noticed you guys in the window." Haruka pointed to the streets below.  
  
"Hey, do you guys mind if I skip the arcade? I wanted to talk to Michiru about something." Rei asked as she already had begun collecting her things before she received answer.  
  
  
  
  
  
A rescue effort was made to collect the citizens that weren't infected with the plague that had spread throughout the city. Citizens were rounded up by the hundreds and lead into the palace's safety. Neither the Princess nor her three royal senshi guards were involved in this process.  
  
Maker and the Princess were still monitoring the shields. Since they had no idea if they were actually effective or not, they watched them closely to find any sign of faulter. "Anything yet?" Healer appeared in the doorway to the war room.  
  
Maker looked up quickly to acknowledge her. "No." She continued her work at the control panel in front of her.  
  
The Princess turned around and addressed Healer since she was sure she would want some sort of an explanation. "We can't tell the effectiveness of our shields yet. Since the dark forces have not tried to penetrate them we have no idea of what tactics or maneuvers they might use."  
  
"Well maybe we should stir them up a bit." Fighter came up behind Healer in the doorway.  
  
"What??!!" Healer spun around with a look of utter disbelief on her face. "Why would you want to do that? What if our shields aren't strong enough, we'd just be shaking a hornet's nest and letting it loose on ourselves!" The anger rose in Healer and could now be seen in the flushness of her face.  
  
Fighter just looked at her. No emotion could be made out from her expressionless face. Kakyuu stepped between them. She had noticed the tensions that had been growing between the two the past couple of days and knew that they would no longer stop on their own. "Please, let Maker and I handle this."  
  
The two looked at each other sternly and abhorrence could be seen being passed in their glances. Their stand off however is interrupted by Maker's cry of disbelief. "Impossible."  
  
Kakyuu leaves the quarrelling senshi's side to see what had caused Maker to react this way. She begins to let her eyes wander over the control panels and scanning the monitor. A gasp escapes her lips when she realizes what Maker was concerned about.  
  
The petty argument between Healer and Fighter ceased as they joined the two already at the system's monitor. "What's going on?" Fighter asked.  
  
"Have they penetrated our shields already?" Healer struggled to find what they were looking at. "Are they in?"  
  
Maker shook her head. "They didn't break into our field, they broke out." She picked her arm up to point at one monitor in particular and trace a blinking dot. "They broke out of our planetary shield. That shield wasn't designed to keep them in, but out. They needed to use little force to do so. Now they are heading out into space to God only knows where."  
  
"Do you think they're going to bring back reinforcements?" Fighter put her fist down as the anger rose in her once again.  
  
"If they do bring back reinforcements the shield should be able to keep them out, right?" Healer had doubt in her voice as she seemed to ask the Princess.  
  
"I don't know." She shook her head in response.  
  
"I'll keep a track on them and find out where they are headed." Maker said before turning back to her work.  
  
  
  
  
  
The car sped along the coastline as Rei tried to keep her hair down and under control as the wind thrashed it about. She could smell the salt in the air and felt a slight mist of the ocean caress her face. This was relaxing despite the fierce wind. Haruka was driving as Michiru turned around to make sure that Rei was comfortable.  
  
The ride to their house had been silent as any word that they may have tried to speak would have just been lost in the wind. When they got out of the car they noticed Hotaru running out of the house followed by her nanny. Now that Setsuna wasn't allowed on Earth Haruka and Michiru had to hire a nanny to watch Hotaru.  
  
Sailor Pluto had broken too many rules and was not allowed to return to Earth of their present time. Cronos had commanded her to stay guard at the gates of time until the time of Crystal Tokyo came to be.  
  
"Rei, you finally came!" Hotaru ran up to the raven-haired girl.  
  
Rei was confused. "You were expecting me?" She looked over at Haruka and Michiru for a bit of help. They just nodded and headed into the house as Hotaru and Rei followed.  
  
"We couldn't say what we needed to discuss with you in front of the nanny." Hotaru explained as they took their shoes off. "You've been getting the visions too, ne?" She struggled with her left shoe.  
  
Rei helped the small girl in removing her shoe while shaking her head. "I should have known that I wasn't alone. I wanted to ask Michiru is she had seen anything in her mirror." The two girls got up and walked into the living room where Haruka and Michiru were waiting.  
  
"Have you told the others?" Haruka asked assuming that Hotaru and Rei were already talking about this.  
  
Rei shook her head. "No, I wanted to see what you knew, I didn't want to disturb their time of peace over a nightmare."  
  
"It's not a nightmare." Michiru explained. "Something is coming and it wants us dead." She pulled her mirror out from her bag beside her. "I can't see anything in my mirror but Hotaru has had visions of our destruction and gone into her trance like state describing our deaths."  
  
Rei looked at Hotaru in shock. She still couldn't comprehend how such a small and innocent child could sense such horrible visions. Rei had similar visions and read the same in the holy fires. "I couldn't get any answers either. I could only see our corpses lying around, it looked like we were sleeping."  
  
"Don't tell the others, we'll fight this alone. There is no need to interrupt them." Haruka said flatly. "We will however keep YOU informed, but only you."  
  
Rei nodded her head and was glad that Haruka and Michiru finally respected her enough to trust her with their confidence.  
  
  
  
  
  
The day was coming to an end and the sun began to set. Fighter had doubts that it would ever rise again as she watched it disappear. The Princess walked up behind her and touched her on her shoulder. "Fighter?"  
  
Fighter turned and faced her Princess. She looked behind her and saw that they were alone. Kakyuu took Fighter's hands in her own as she watched Fighter's confused expression. "Maker has found a pattern to the flight of the escaped souls."  
  
"What is that supposed to me?" Fighter didn't want to read into anything and wished that her Princess would just say what she meant.  
  
"They are heading towards Earth. There's no doubt about it and there's no way to stop them." Kakyuu didn't want to see Fighter's reaction to this news but couldn't stop herself from looking at her wide eyes. 


	6. six

Part VI  
  
The world went black and time seemed to stop. It was as though some one was strangling her, for she could not breathe. Every vein in her body seemed to pulse a fiery liquid. Her heart pounded as though it was trying to escape her chest. Kakyuu watched in horror as she saw the pain that Fighter was feeling at that moment. "We have to warn them!" Fighter finally got out.  
  
Kakyuu nodded and they turned towards the control room where Maker and Healer were already in the process of doing so.  
  
  
  
  
  
Haruka dropped Rei off in front of her house. It was now dusk and night would be upon them soon. Rei looked up into the sky, through the now apparent colors of the sunset she could see the first stars of the night breaking through to shine their light. "Exquisite." She remarked.  
  
Haruka looked up at the sky that she was so taken by and too admired its beauty. "You should try to get some sleep tonight, we'll tell the others tomorrow."  
  
Rei didn't take her eyes off of the sky but just simply nodded her head.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What's going on? Why haven't you contacted them yet?" Fighter's voice was frantic. She knew Maker was doing all that she could but that didn't seem to be enough. The anxiety running ramped through her body, spreading beyond her control.  
  
Maker knew that Fighter didn't mean to be this way, she had been under a lot of stress lately, they all had, but with this new news she only expected as much from her. Kakyuu tried to calm her down. "Fighter, she is trying to do all that she can right now." Kakyuu's hand that was placed on Fighter's shoulder was soon shrugged off.  
  
"When we left Earth, we never planned on having to contact each other for anything, therefore we have no idea where to begin to search." Maker explained in her calmest voice. Although she would often at times appear calm, cool and collected her inner turmoil was usually above that of a normal human being.  
  
"She's trying to tap into their communicators now. Since we know that they all had one, this is the most convenient way to do so. Its not like we can send a radio broadcast to them. The whole planet would hear it and panic." Healer had already had the entire situation explained to her while Kakyuu was getting Fighter.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?" Usagi answered her phone. She was just getting ready to turn in for the night.  
  
Rei was a bit nervous on the other end of the line but found the courage to speak. She had to sound as normal as possible, she didn't want Usagi to sense that there was anything wrong. "Hey, did I disturb you?"  
  
"No, what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing, I was just disappointed that I had to miss the arcade with you guys. Do you think we could do it tomorrow? We can all meet at the shrine in the morning." She couldn't very well explain to the others about her premonition at the arcade but would tell them instead when they arrived at her house.  
  
"Sure, have you talked to anyone else?" Usagi was changing while talking on the phone.  
  
"Yeah, they're all going to meet us there. So I'll see you around tenish?"  
  
"Tenish huh? Rei you can just say ten, I promise I'll be on time!" Usagi pulled back the covers of her bed. "So I'll see you at TEN." She put extra sarcastic emphasis on the time.  
  
Rei had to laugh. Putting the same emphasis on the time she answered. "Alright then TEN it is. Ja ne!"  
  
Usagi hung up her phone and got into her bed. Mamoru had been gone for two whole days now and hadn't called or written once again. She knew that he had gotten there safely because Ami checked with the University again just as a precaution. Before she knew it, Usagi's thoughts slipped once again from Mamoru to Seiya. She fell asleep that night with the hope that she would one day see him again.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hours had passed and Maker didn't appear to be any closer to solving the problem than she did when she began. Everyone was growing frustrated by now and the tension in the room was unbearable. Maker crawled under the control panel again for what seemed like the hundredth time and began playing with miscellaneous wires.  
  
The control room was torn apart and every electrical circuit that would have been useful was now torn apart and rewired. As she played with the wires a picture began to come on the screen. "Maker wait, you're picking up something." Fighter yelled as she saw the slightest change in the screen.  
  
Maker readjusted the wiring to stay on that channel and soon a clear picture came into view. It was Luna. "Luna, where are the senshi?" Healer asked as she recognized the black cat.  
  
Luna didn't answer but instead looked down. The Starlights were confused as to why Luna had answered the communicator in the first place. They assumed that the Earth senshi always wore them on their person. "When did you get a communicator?" Maker asked wondering why a cat would need such technology.  
  
Luna's head picked back up as she stared into the screen. The icy glare that emanated from her eyes chilled the Starlights to the bone. "This is Sailor Moon's communicator." Her voice was grave and her appearance unsettling.  
  
"Where is Sailor Moon? Why doesn't she have it? What's going on?" Fighter's voice emphasized her panic and was breaking up with every word that struggled its way out of her throat. Had she caused this?  
  
"She does have it." Luna answered. The screen shifted and it looked as though Luna was turning the communicator. Usagi's face came onto the screen. "Do you see her?" Luna asked as she held Usagi's wrist up so that the communicator would show her face and her body. "She's dead."  
  
  
  
  
  
Artemis walked over to the window as he looked up at the moon that now hung high above the city. Night had come and so had something else. He hadn't been there when it happened but it appeared that Minako had not struggled. She lay peacefully in her bed as though she was sleeping, but he knew better. She was ghostly white but a certain serenity hung over her.  
  
He hadn't reacted the way you might think that he would have. He didn't panic, he didn't cry instead he sat in disbelief as he marveled at how beautiful she was even in death. He knew that he had to tell Luna. He dreaded calling her, he didn't want to have to tell the others.  
  
Artemis knew that she didn't just die in her sleep, he knew that some force greater than her or himself had intervened and now her life had paid the price. The communicator beeped as he waited for Luna to answer it. It had only beeped when the line was already in use. He wondered if this had happened to one of the others. Panic swept his brain once again as he tried to imagine the worst case scenario.  
  
Luna's face soon showed up on the screen but who she was talking to also showed up on the other half of the screen. "Starlights?" He questioned when he recognized them. He didn't see Fighter but only Healer, Maker and Kakyuu. "Luna you must keep an eye on Usagi."  
  
"Too late." She replied in the same grave tone that she had used with the Starlights. Artemis knew immediately what she meant and wished that it wasn't so.  
  
"What about the others?" Kakyuu asked urgently and almost impatiently.  
  
"Usagi. Minako. Ami. Rei. Makoto. Haruka. Michiru. Hotaru. Setsuna. They're all. dead." Luna's voice trailed off. "We don't know how it happened. We didn't see anything. There was no preliminary attack. They just went to sleep tonight as they normally would and when we checked on them they were dead."  
  
The satellite feed began to break up. A fuzzy cracking dissipated the image on the screen. "We hope and pray for your safety." Was the last thing they heard before all contact was lost.  
  
"No. no. this can't be." Healer shook her head in disbelief. "Why would they have gone to Earth?" The questions that she asked were ones that none of them could answer.  
  
"But more importantly, how did they know to attack the Earth senshi and who they were?" Maker was trying to make sense of it all and bring any sense of reasoning back into the picture.  
  
Kakyuu turned and looked around the room for Fighter. The room behind her was vacant and she had a bad feeling that Fighter was going to go down below.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was all her fault.  
  
She looked down at her gloved hand. The smooth leather that reflected what little light was filtering in through the window seemed some how foreign to her as she looked down at her hands as though they were disgusting and were responsible for the condition of her love.  
  
If she hadn't been so selfish the Earth senshi would have been warned. Now, instead of not wanting to see the one person she loved more than anyone else for fear of hurting herself she has doomed her to death.  
  
She looked beautiful. The moonlight was coming in through her window and falling on her face as she appeared to be sleeping. If only she was sleeping. The tears were coming with no hope for an end. Was this her punishment for being selfish?  
  
The same darkness that she had drifted into so many times before overwhelmed her once again, but now somehow it seemed to be even darker, more malicious than before. Her hope, her light of hope had gone out and she felt that there was nothing else to live for. But she had lived sixteen years of her life before she met Usagi without her. Why was it so hard to live in these few moments without her now?  
  
Nothing seemed to happen before that day. That day that she had met Usagi. The day that put her entire existence into perspective. The day that she would never forget. She couldn't remember caring or feeling the love that consumed her before meeting Usagi. It was as though this girl had awoken a sleeping emotion inside of her. One that felt so good to finally have but felt so horrible not to be able to feed.  
  
The one thing that she had loved the most in her life and the thing that she wanted to keep safe was the thing that she was responsible for its downfall. How was she supposed to go on now knowing that she had committed such a haenous crime? Should she even be allowed to?  
  
Fighter's thoughts turned slowly from loathing and self-pity to hatred and animosity. She had to fight, she couldn't give up now. Her thoughts were once again broken by the sound of footsteps behind her.  
  
"Fighter it's not your fault." Kakyuu said as she approached her in the darkened room. She was relieved to see that she had not left the palace but was put off by the darkness that her heart was emitting.  
  
Fighter's hands shook violently with rage as she stood up and turned around to face her Princess. Kakyuu saw the fire in her eyes as she could tell her blood was boiling. Pure furious passion could be seen in her body. "Why.?"  
  
The question was one that she had not expected and didn't really know the answer to. "I don't know." Was all that she could reply.  
  
Fighter passed Kakyuu with a breeze as she mad a valiant dash through the palace. With her determined pace she drew the attention of everyone that was watching. Healer and Maker ran closely behind her as the Princess trailed off in the distance. They had to stop her from leaving the palace.  
  
As Fighter made her way into the courtyard she came to a sudden halt. Panting with her chest heaving up and down with each breath she saw the enemy. Blinded by her emotions she was about to make a charge at them but was held back by Healer and Maker who quickly caught up with her.  
  
Thousands of soldiers lined up on the outside of the force field. The Starlights had not noticed that they were gathering, as they were busy trying to contact the Earth senshi in their wasted effort. Their bodies were decaying as the rotting flesh hung off of them. It was an army of the dead. They had fed off of the souls of the living to resurrect themselves to the state they were at now. At the head of the pack was a man who was almost completely covered with flesh and bore a cape on his back.  
  
From one glance into the eyes of this mad man one could tell that he held a certain understanding and insight that only the insane possessed and the sane wished for. He had a cocky grin as he began to speak. "Princess Kakyuu." He said in a tone just slightly above a whisper.  
  
The Starlights turned around to see that the Princess had come up behind them. "Isai." Was all that crossed her lips. 


	7. seven

Part VII  
  
It appeared to be hell on Earth. An entire army of the dead awaited their eyes, as the same pungent scent of loathing and decay was apparent in the air. The force field glowed with a faint amber light, that light reflected off of their glassy eyes to make them look even more demonic.  
  
Isai bowed to Princess Kakyuu as he swept his cape in front of him. "At your service madam." He mocked.  
  
It immediately clicked in the Starlight's heads who this infamous man was. Almost without a moment's hesitation they were in front of Kakyuu guarding her from whatever he may have planned.  
  
"I'm afraid that insolence will get you no where my dears." He gestured to the Starlights. "If I wanted you, I would have taken you when you were down below in the catacombs when I had my chance."  
  
"You're going to be sorry that you didn't!" Healer hissed as she held her position. Her teeth gritted together and her fists were tightly clenched.  
  
"I have no grudge against you." He began as he stepped through the force field unharmed. The Starlights tensed up even more than they had been. "Surrender to me Kakyuu and I will let your precious Starlights live." He held his hand out as an offer.  
  
"She will never surrender to you. We won't let her!" Fighter made a lunge for the man. She made no contact as he sidestepped her attack.  
  
"I should be thanking you for not warning Princess Serenity and the guardians of the Silver Millennium. It was easy to go to Earth and steal their souls while they slept." He seemed as though he was going to start laughing. The same cocky smile crept up to his lips. "You see, you have no chance to defeat me, not even your pathetic force fields can keep me out. Surrender Kakyuu or I will take you by force!"  
  
"Never." Kakyuu said in a robust voice so that the remainder of her people could hear her clearly and know that she would never give up on them.  
  
'The Earth senshi, they were the guardians of the Silver Millennium?' They were apart of this war and they had not called upon them. Fighter battled the confusion in her head while keeping her eyes locked on Isai. 'He was collecting the souls of the people who had come up against him previously, is that why he didn't want us, the Starlights?' The Starlights were not involved in the first battle, they weren't even created until after the war was over.  
  
"Enough!" Isai's expression turned sour as he grew impatient. "I will have your soul Kakyuu and I will watch it writhe and suffer just as mine did. You will pay yours and your mother's debt with your life!" Isai drew his sword and charged towards Kakyuu.  
  
Fighter now stood behind him and knew that if she used her laser it would hit Healer and Maker too. There was nothing that she could do from the position that she was in. "NOOO!!!" She screamed as she could only look on in terror.  
  
Healer was the first to come up against Isai as Maker jumped ungracefully on top of Kakyuu knocking her to the ground and out of the way of Isai's blade. His blade however did not miss.  
  
The sword was drawn back stained with deep red blood. Healer's form fell to the ground as her hands came up to try to stop the blood from flowing out of her chest. Isai licked the blade of the sword and tasted her pure blood.  
  
Maker was knocked unconscious and Kakyuu watched in horror as Healer slowly closed her eyes for the last time letting her arms fall to the ground with the rest of her body as her soul left this life.  
  
Isai was now standing above the crumpled Maker and Kakyuu and towered over them. His voice boomed down upon them as he spoke. "Did you want me to kill her?" He pointed his sword at Healer's fallen form. Isai sheathed his sword once again as he focused his two hands in front of him, concentrating his energy.  
  
None of his army had broken through the force field and Fighter suspected that they couldn't. They watched on with a heightened sense of eagerness and awareness. Isai began to draw his hands as though he was pulling the air in front of him towards his chest. He said nothing as he did this but instead closed his eyes.  
  
Kakyuu screamed in pain as she arched her back in Maker's arms. A glowing aura was visible in her chest. Kakyuu's screams became louder and more blood curdling. Fighter couldn't just sit and watch him take another important person away from her. She had to do something. Fighter made her way to her feet once again as she charged with full force towards the scene in front of her eyes.  
  
Isai made no movement to try and get away from the coming attack for soon he wouldn't have to move for anyone. Kakyuu's soul slipped away from her body and hung in the air above it. Isai kept drawing his hands towards him as if beckoning her soul to him. The illuminated apparatus moved gracefully and quietly to his waiting arms.  
  
There was no time left, Fighter had failed once again to keep the ones that she loves safe. Her full charge at Isai ended with her falling to her knees as he backhanded her across the face. "There is nothing you can do. Give it up or die trying." Isai said as he put his boot on her cheek.  
  
Fighter's face was being rubbed into the dirt on the ground but she still found the audacity to speak against him. "I will not give in to you or anyone else..." She struggled against his hold. "I will succeed and I will overcome as I watch you burn in hell!"  
  
Isai smiled with delight. "A true tongue of the devil. Hell you say? Look around you, where do you think you are?" He bent down and picked up her entire weight by her neck. He held her at bay from his body and gave her a good look at what surrounded her. "Do you see this? What do you call this?" He laughed to himself. "I will let you live, I will watch you suffer as you struggle to maintain your futile existence." With one swift swing of his arm he tossed Fighter's body on top of Maker, who was just coming to, as if she was a rag doll.  
  
Fighter smiled as blood trickled down her cracked lip. "You'll regret that." She said in a low mutter.  
  
"Now, feel the pain that they made me feel when they took away my daughters. Feel the pain that you feel when you are left alone in this world. Feel the pain of knowing that you can not bring them back, that you can not do anything about it and only take comfort in the fact that one day you will end up just like them." Isai turned and walked back through the glowing force field and lead his army to the catacombs below.  
  
  
  
  
  
Although Fighter had kept up the image of being the fierce senshi that she was inside she couldn't help but feel the pain and sorrow as her deeds were partially responsible for their predicament now. "Do you have everything?" She asked as she finished her thoughts.  
  
Maker looked at her with a certain respect as she nodded to her leader. She knew the pain Fighter was feeling inside because she too felt that sting at her heart. Kakyuu, Healer and Fighter were the most important people in the world to her and now two of them were gone. She couldn't fathom though the impact that Usagi's death had on Fighter's mental state.  
  
"Good let's go!" Fighter jumped down off of the balcony. There was no need to hide their senshi abilities now that half the city was dead and if they didn't stop this the entire planet would end up in much the same way. Maker took her lead and followed her down to the fate that awaited them.  
  
Their destination was soon in sight. Somehow the entrance to the catacombs looked larger than it had the previous times that she had come here. "Do you think we can do this?" Fighter asked while looking straight into the tunnel ahead.  
  
Maker looked at her in disbelief. "Don't start doubting yourself now. We have to be strong and believe." Maker started walking and hoped that Fighter would be right behind her.  
  
'Believe in what?' Fighter thought to herself as she willed her legs to move to follow Maker. 'What else is there left to believe in? Can Maker and I truly do this on our own?'  
  
The whistling of the caves picked up just as it had previously. This didn't stop the two Starlights as they pushed on. The eerie chill that was in the air sent goose bumps up their arms, they could feel something around them. "Something's here." Maker said to Fighter in a whisper in case she didn't feel it.  
  
Fighter nodded her head. She felt it and she could feel it trying to invade her body. What was this force? The whistling grew more intense as they saw a light up ahead.  
  
By now they were deeply in the tombs that rested below the city. The faint sound of voices could be heard echoing all around them. They didn't dare bring in outside lights, they would have drawn attention to themselves and given away their position. They were lucky however that the halls were dimly lit with torches on the wall. The dim light created just enough shadow to keep them hidden.  
  
"I know you're there Starlights." A voice bellowed down the hallway. The Starlights immediately recognized it as Isai's. They could not see him and the way he said it so calmly they knew that he could see them.  
  
Fighter looked at Maker and she returned the glance. Neither of them knew what to do and it was the first time that Maker was utterly clueless to the solution of their dilemma. Maker was about to speak when the whistling grew louder and cut her off.  
  
Before the two Starlights knew it they were being overcome with the same strong force that they had felt before. This time it was stronger, and this time it was forcing them further into the catacombs.  
  
Fighter couldn't hold on any more, the force was just too much as her body was sent hurling down the long hall. Maker watched on in horror as her partner and only ally left was submerged into the darkness and distanced from her. Maker felt her own body weakening but before she fell to the same fate as Fighter she felt a hand around her neck.  
  
"I thought you would need a hand." Isai looked straight into Maker's eyes as she struggled to get herself free. "Now meet your fate!" Isai tightened his grip on Maker's throat as he cut off her air.  
  
Maker's eyes traced over the features of Isai's face and didn't see a hint of compassion. She knew this was the end and she felt so helpless, she was leaving Fighter, if she was still alive, to fight the battle of an entire world on her own. She had her doubts to whether or not she could handle it.  
  
As Maker's soul appeared outside of her form the whistling and the wind stopped. Isai quickly grabbed her soul but did not drop her. "I'm going to get your little partner and show her your fate my dear." He said in a low seductive voice as he began to walk back to his chambers dragging Maker's limp body in his arms. 


	8. eight

Part VIII  
  
"Odango?" Seiya looked around and saw a figure sitting on a wooden chair near by. "Where are we?" He sat up and held his head with his hand. As his hand came to his face he noticed that they were no longer gloved. "What?!"  
  
A slight giggle came from the figure in the chair. Seiya looked up at the person as he tried to prop himself up to stand. Another glance around the room showed that they were in almost a limitless space. He saw no walls but there was a slight fog in the air and he couldn't tell if it was just his vision fading or if the air had actually materialized. "I made you some cookies." The figure in the chair said as it laughed again. He couldn't make out the face of the person in the chair.  
  
Seiya could now tell that the person was definitely a female. But why was he a male? Why wasn't he still Sailor Star Fighter? Seiya got to his feet with a strenuous effort. He stared at the figure in the chair but couldn't make out a face. "Who are you?" He asked as he slowly began to move towards her.  
  
"I'd figured you'd forgotten about me." The girl sighed as she held up a bag of burnt crispy cookies for him to take. "But I didn't forget you." The girl suddenly stood up and Seiya saw the buns on top of her head but nothing more as she spoke again in a panic. "You'd better wake up.NOW!"  
  
Seiya was confused to say the least but as he blinked his eyes he was no longer in the misty room with the girl but was now Fighter in a cold dark cavern. "Odango." She whispered to herself but her thoughts were once again cut off as she heard footsteps approaching her.  
  
Fighter tried to conceal herself in the shadows of the room but to no avail. "Don't bother." Isai stepped out of the shadows. "I've been watching you for a while now. Did you enjoy your nap?" He laughed in a mocking tone. He knew just how to push her buttons.  
  
Seeing no point in hiding anymore Fighter came out of the shadows to face him in full. "If you've been watching me, why did you let me live?" She asked as she gave him an icy stare.  
  
"Oh. would you have rathered that I had killed you? Do you want to die?" Isai sat down on a rock near by. "You interest me. You talk in your sleep you know." He crossed his arms as he cocked an eyebrow. He watched Fighter get more tense as he teased her.  
  
Fighter knew that she stood no chance of battling him on her own but she wasn't going to let that fear come to her face. She would not show him that she knew her end was near. She had to stall until she could strike back at him. Fighter was having a terribly hard time trying to control herself from lunging at him right then and there but she managed some how. "Really?" She said as though she was having a friendly conversation with one of her old friends.  
  
"Yes. You've seen all of your friends and allies perish before your eyes but you continue to keep that arrogant heir about you." He studied her as she soaked up his words and the true horror of the situation.  
  
'Maker didn't make it?' Fighter thought to herself as he appeared to be speaking to her as though she was the only one left. She looked around half- heartedly to see if she saw any signs of Maker, she was hoping to see nothing but instead her sight found her. Maker's body was lying crumpled up in the corner unmoving and she knew what her fate was.  
  
Thoughts came flooding to Fighter as she remembered the times that she had spent with Maker, Healer and Kakyuu. She tried hard to fight back the oncoming tears. She was doing a commendable job too until she thought of her.  
  
The remembrance of her dream came dashing back to her as though it had been real, and it felt real. 'Odango.' Fighter thought to herself as she blankly stared into space. The agony that she was feeling was expressed through her body by violent shakes.  
  
Isai must have noticed this because he got up and into a defensive stance. Although he was planning on being on the defense it didn't stop him from uttering some more provoking words. He wanted to see just what this girl had left in her. "Are you going to cry now? I like to see little girls cry." He laughed as he looked over her uneven form convulsing with hatred.  
  
Not giving Isai a chance to move Fighter reached for her yell and blasted her laser straight at him. Any desperate attempt that she could muster up would be to her benefit. She had nothing to lose anymore and everything to gain. She knew that taking her anger out on Isai wouldn't bring them back, but then again could anything?  
  
Not expecting the laser's blast Isai was hit in the shoulder and thrown backwards into the wall behind him. He rose to his feet again and brushed the dust off of himself. "So you do have a little spunk left in you." Isai threw his cape back behind his shoulder and squared himself off to her. "Let's see how much more you can handle." With that said he brought his hands up to his chest, palm to palm and an energy ball began to grow between them.  
  
Fighter saw this and tried to counter what she knew was coming. With her yell once again in hand she brought it up over her head as she screamed her powers. "STAR.SERIOUS." Her hands came down in front of her and prepared for the blast. "LASER!!" Her attack went soaring towards Isai just as he has released his energy. The two attacks collided and the entire cavern shook with the immense energy.  
  
Bits and pieces of the ceiling and walls began to crumble around them but that didn't stop them from attacking again and again. The room lit up with the powerful blasts of energy and the illumination must have been what alerted the dead army. The room filled with the deathly looking soldiers as they droned in systematically. "She's mine!" Isai commanded as he sent yet another blast in Fighter's direction.  
  
With nothing left all Fighter could do was try to dodge the attack, which she did successfully. The stalwart blast hit the wall behind her and knocked out the remaining support for the cavern. The ceiling and walls came crashing down on top of her as Fighter was buried under the landslide. The army looked on waiting for orders from Isai of what they should do further. "Leave her." He commanded as he turned to exit the room with his cape flowing around him in victory. The army took one last look at Fighter's limp arm hanging from the rubble and followed his orders.  
  
  
  
  
  
The eerie mist filled the room again as Seiya opened his eyes. "Here again?" He mumbled as he felt the acute pain in his temples. "How did I get here?" He verbalized his thoughts to no one as he thought he was alone. Seiya sat up and looked around looking for the girl that had been there previously. Was he dead? And if he was dead why was he male?  
  
Seiya made his way to his feet as he stammered around the open space in no particular direction. He looked down at himself and saw that he was dressed in his Juuban school uniform. He pulled at the threads to see if it was real or if it was just some jaded dream. The slight giggling behind him brought him back to his senses as he wheeled around to find the person from which it originated. "Odango?" He managed to get out as he stood face to face with Usagi.  
  
"Of all ways to picture yourself and you pick your school uniform." She giggled again.  
  
"No!" He screamed as he held his hands over his ears. "Why do I keep doing this to myself?. It hurts me to indulge in this fantasy time and time again!" She wasn't really here, why was he doing this to himself, and now of all times.  
  
Usagi's face turned to that of pure pity. She had no idea why he was reacting this way but knew that it had something to do with her. But he was the one who had summoned her here in the first place. "I'm sorry." She said in a meek tone of voice.  
  
Seiya slowly looked up. Normally when he caught himself day dreaming it would all just go away without her saying a word, but she was still there, and apologizing. "No, I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking. Why are you here?"  
  
Usagi's smile returned to her face. "You wanted me here. I came for you." Her tone was sincere. Seiya had been mentally calling out to her soul in anguish throughout the entire battle.  
  
"Am I dead?" He asked, he couldn't help but stare at her. If he was dead then this must be heaven if it was him and his Odango here. He reached out to see if she was real. His fingertips met with her flesh. He could feel the soft smooth skin of her arm as she smiled back at him.  
  
"No, you're not dead." She smiled reassuringly. She put her hand to his face and her face grew sadder. Her usual up-beat spirit and bright shine faded a bit as she looked into his eyes. "Why did you loose hope?" She asked lightly as she wiped a tear from his cheek.  
  
He was crying. Why? He was with her, the one thing he wanted most in the world. Perhaps he was just overjoyed at seeing her again. But why was she in that dress? "Everyone's gone. Their shines have died out. I was all alone. I couldn't do this on my own." He brought his hands up to his face. It was hard to admit that he couldn't handle everything, but this was Usagi. He knew she'd understand.  
  
Usagi wrapped her arms around him and brought him into a tight embrace. "Remember what you taught me?" She brought herself back so that she could look him in the eyes as she kept her hands on his shoulder and her forehead against his. "They're never gone until you give up. and you won't do that. we all believe!" Those haunting words came back to Seiya like a ton of bricks. It was true that he had said them, but were they really the truth? "And don't think that their shines have gotten dull, just think about how they can become brighter."  
  
"I can't do this alone!" Seiya's frustration was becoming apparent, and he was right, he couldn't do this alone.  
  
Usagi could feel his rage building up inside of him. "Why didn't you call us sooner? We would have come to help you in a heart beat!" She pleaded for understanding which only he could give her.  
  
"I was selfish. and I was scared." He admitted to her once he cleared his throat of the overwhelming lump that was lodged there. "I couldn't see you again." He looked down at the ground ashamed of what he had just said and what he was about to say. "I missed you so much when we left, I tried everyday to hide my feelings and find other things to occupy my time. Nothing worked. I longed for you and the way you made me feel." Seiya took a deep breath not looking up for if he did he knew that there was no way he could continue. "If I had seen you again, all of those emotions, fears, doubts and. love. would have just come rushing back to me and I knew that I would have lost it all." His tears flowed freely as he looked up to see her reaction.  
  
Usagi didn't know what to think of what he had just confessed to her. She also knew that this wasn't the time to be discussing it. "I've missed you too. I didn't realize just how much I was attached to you until after you left. You know the saying, you never know what you have until it was gone? Well that would explain it for me." Usagi thought back on the friendship that the two had shared during his short stay on Earth. "So indulgent was I as I quarreled over trifle things, without ever doubting the days when we couldn't be together."  
  
"But my foolishness led to your destruction." Tears began to fall again from his eyes.  
  
"No, you didn't destroy me. Isai destroyed me, and that's why I'm here." Usagi contemplated a way to explain the situation to him. "Do you know why Isai came after me and the other senshi?" She asked, curious to see how much he really knew.  
  
"The Earth senshi were the guardians of the Silver Millennium." Seiya stated bluntly.  
  
"Yes, they are, but I am not." Usagi started as she realized that he had no idea who she really was. "I am Princess Serenity, daughter of Queen Serenity and heir to the royal throne of the Silver Millennium. I was the cause of the desolation of Isai in my former life."  
  
Usagi's words shocked Seiya and chilled him to the bone. She played a bigger role in all of this then he could ever have imagined. She was their only hope and savior and he had ruined their chance to prevail. "You were the one who gave Kakyuu the power to create us?" Seiya looked at her in disbelief. He knew that Sailor Moon was powerful but this was beyond his wildest dreams. Usagi nodded her head silently.  
  
The silence was overwhelming. It was an ironic twist of fate that he had fallen so deeply in love with the one woman responsible for the power of his being. Seiya looked up at Usagi with despair in his eyes. "How am I supposed to do this? I can't defeat Isai. an entire army couldn't take him down."  
  
Usagi smiled at him. "I will help you."  
  
"What? How?" Was she alive somewhere and ready to aid him in his attack?  
  
The room was still except for Usagi moving closer to Seiya. They were only inches apart when she turned her face up to his. "I will become a part of you. if you will let me. I will lend you my power, and together we will defeat Isai and his army."  
  
Seiya looked into her eyes and was filled with shock. 'Become a part of him?' He thought, what choice did he have? The fate of this planet and possibly that of Earth depended on him, and him alone. Seiya didn't speak a word but gave her a nod to show that he understood and approved.  
  
Once again Usagi's smile returned to her lips as her form began to dissipate. Seiya watched on in awe as her figure took on a ghost like appearance. He had been talking with her soul and now it was going to enter in him. She was going see all that he had inside of him, he couldn't hide anything now even if he tried. As he felt Usagi enter his body he immediately felt her warmth and love. He closed his eyes to take it all in and bask in her glow.  
  
  
  
  
  
It felt like there was a heavy weight on her chest as Fighter struggled to move. Her entire body was pinned and wedged between large boulders. Amazingly she had fallen into a crevice air pocket that the collapsed cavern had created. The only thing that was harmed was her arm. It had to be broken. She wiggled it free and felt the stinging pain as she did. She immediately felt nauseous and held her hand to her mouth. 'I have to get out of here.'  
  
Some one began digging the pile of rock off of her as light entered her space. Who was helping her? When enough debry was removed so she could finally see her rescuer's identity she realized that it was one of the dark soldiers. The soldier began to pull her twisted body from the wreckage as Fighter tried not to scream in shear pain. 


	9. nine

Part IX  
  
Even though it was a simple position, having her hands tied behind her back sent excruciating pain surging through her body. Her arm was broken and she wasn't even sure whether or not it was even in its socket anymore. Fighter knew that she shouldn't show any fears or signs of her agony to her captor. Her face was like stone as her cool front covered the whirlwind of thoughts that were going through her head.  
  
The dark soldier looked over at her as he led her by the arm down the hallway towards the voices and laughter. He had just been patrolling the grounds as he noticed a stirring from the recently collapsed cavern. He felt no remorse for turning Fighter over and actually had to stop himself from killing her personally. The dark warriors were made up solely of Isai's hate and desire for revenge, there was not a single emotion of compassion or love in them.  
  
Fighter was struggling to remain conscious, she knew that she wouldn't have been captured so easily if she had been just a little stronger. It was a seemingly effortless task to take her prisoner. All the guard had to do was pull her half limp body from the wreckage and tie her up, she couldn't resist or even fight back being in the state that she was. Her eyes were heavy and sleep, if it was not death, was trying to take her over. Not much remained of her uniform, as she was a torn and battered Starlight.  
  
Her mind continued to spin as she tried to walk down the hall. Fighter would stumble every now and again to stall the inevitable and hopefully gain a little more strength. All of her thoughts were a big jumble and had no sense or reasoning to them until one central idea brought them to a halt. Odango. was her Odango really with her right now? Everything began to make sense again as she remembered her dream and encounter with Usagi. 'She can't be with me now. I remember feeling so much warmth and power when she entered my body. but now that warmth is gone and I'm weak again. What happened?' Fighter thought and must have slowed down her pace because she received a turbulent tug from the guard as he began to drag her more roughly.  
  
The dimly lit halls gave way to a large banquet hall lit brilliantly with the flames of a million candles. The dark army sat around feasting and celebrating while Isai just looked on at the head of the room. He hadn't noticed Fighter enter with the guard and Fighter took this opportunity to study him more closely.  
  
Isai was sitting in a high-backed chair with his head propped up on his fist, which was in turn leaning on the arm of the chair. He didn't have the fierce face that he had earlier, now instead he had a simple complexion of sadness. What would this man who just butchered thousands of people without a second thought have to be sad about? He was staring at everything and nothing at the same time as you could tell that he was concentrating in deep thought. Isai's head snapped up when the guard cleared his throat as he and the captive approached the head of the room.  
  
Silence. The entire room stopped their commotion as they watched with eager eyes to see what was going to happen next. Isai stood to rise above the two in front of him. "What is this that you're bringing before me?" He questioned as the soldier bowed but Fighter stood in defiance. "You come before me again, and in such a state, what do you think you can do?"  
  
Fighter had no power in her being to struggle against the ropes that bound her, but still insisted on giving Isai a full-of-herself smile. This must have pleased Isai because he smiled back at her and ordered the guard to free her hands. "She's pathetic!" He waved his hand in the air. Fighter could feel energy coming to her body, but this wasn't foreign energy, this was a power that she had felt many times before. This was her rage and anger rising quickly and pumping through her veins.  
  
Isai looked around at the army that encased the room. An idea must have played on his mind because a faint smile came to his lips. "Shall we have a little fun?" He asked as he spread his arms to do a full 360 and take in the entire room. The soldiers went crazy as a loud burst of cheering filled the room. Isai side jumped over the table and took Fighter by the arm, her bad arm, and drug her into the middle of the room. He brought her by her shoulders up to whisper in her ear. "So you want to fight some more, huh little Starlight? Have fun!" He threw Fighter to the ground as he began to walk back to his seat.  
  
Fighter looked around and saw that she was in the middle of almost an arena. Once Isai reached his seat and made himself comfortable he raised his arm in the air. Fighter's breathing was heaving and in almost pants, her lack of oxygen was almost cutting of her vision. Isai's hand came down to the table as he called the command. "Attack!!!" All at once it seemed as though there were millions of soldiers rushing towards the center of the arena to cripple the Starlight and permanently dim her shine.  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi walked around in the dark room with not a trace of light to be seen. Her hands felt along the walls and in front of her so that she didn't run into anything. It was deathly quiet in here and very lonely. "I have to find something I can use."  
  
With that thought the room became very warm and before long she broke out into an uncomfortable sweat. "What is she doing?" She asked as she wiped some moisture from her brow. The heat continued to rise, with the rising temperature the room began to glow and Usagi could make out certain objects in it. Usagi closed her eyes and concentrated on the energy that she felt.  
  
It was anger and hatred. Hatred, an emotion that Usagi had never felt before, that is why it took her so long to determine what it was. "So this is what it feels like to hate some one?" Usagi voiced her thoughts as the immense heat continued to surround her. She turned her head and her eyes roamed over the various trinkets and ornaments. "How can some one with such a beautiful imagination feel this emotion?"  
  
Usagi fingered a couple of the ornaments turning them over to marvel at their splendor. She couldn't comprehend how Fighter, some one she's grown to know and trust could have such emotions trapped inside of her. Usagi couldn't use these emotions to magnify her power and had to continue her search for a positive one. A door appears on one of the walls and she approaches it.  
  
Once at the door Usagi looks back to where she has just come from and then turns to cross the threshold. As soon as she steps in she feels an overwhelming sense of fear and doubt. She can sense Fighter's insecurity and pain. "I never knew, she hid all of this so well before." Usagi continued to walk around. The room was blue and had no ceiling. This must have been the room of Fighter's past emotions, while the room she had just come from was the room of the emotions that Fighter was feeling at that current moment. Usagi crosses the room and walks towards a book on a small table.  
  
The book was very thick and very elegant. This was book of Fighter's thoughts and memories. Everything she had ever thought or felt was written in the pages of this book. It would have been wrong for Usagi to read this book but this was a circumstance that she knew she would understand. Usagi began thumbing through the book. Each passage that she read she could feel the room fill with the emotion that Fighter had felt when she had this thought or this memory.  
  
Usagi had started at the back and worked her way forward. The first passage that she stopped on was one from when Fighter had found out that everyone was dead. "There are no more smiles, no more hellos and no more good times. There are no more chances to say I love you." Her voice echoed in the room as she read the passage out loud. It was beautiful and she felt the weight and pressure of the sadness and regret that filled the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Fighter stood up in a defensive stance as she was not going to go down without a fight. Where was Usagi? "Odango." She whispered to herself. "I need you."  
  
  
  
  
  
Usagi knew that there wasn't much time left and that she had to try even harder. "Why is it so hard to find a good feeling in some one as beautiful and kind as Fighter?" She questioned as she continued to flip through the pages. Usagi saw how Fighter's loneliness had taken over her thoughts and how they fed on her damnation.  
  
Finally she found an emotion that was written in brilliant bright gold ink different from the rest of the passages. She flipped a little ways back too and saw that there were pages and pages of this golden ink. "What brought her all of this wonderful happiness that she could go on for pages and pages about and think about this much?" Usagi asked before she began reading but then gasped as she did.  
  
She had found it, the emotion that she had been looking for. Love. The feeling that Usagi had been hunting for this entire time was a result of her. "Laughing so hard that I cried, when we joined hands and I gazed into your eyes. Always your fragrance, so faintly tears at the strings of my heart. Am I not good enough?"  
  
Usagi immediately felt her eyes tearing up. She had tried to pick the shortest one that she could so as not to read too much into her feelings and invade her privacy. This however was the second shortest passage the first one said, 'Aishiteru.' One word, one word said it all. Now she knew that she was the cause of Fighter's pain and sorrow. Usagi began to cry as she crumpled to the floor. She never knew how deeply Fighter's feelings were for her and now knew why she had said and done all of the things that she did when they were together on Earth before.  
  
"Odango." A voice echoed through the room. "I need you." It was Fighter's voice and Usagi immediately snapped up and too attention. She couldn't wallow in this right now she had to save Earth, Kinkomu and. Fighter.  
  
Usagi concentrated her powers on this emotion that Fighter had had and felt the warm and powerful energy fill the room. Usagi was amazed at how strong Fighter's emotion of love truly was. Once again she had never felt anything like this and felt a wonderful sensation flow throughout her body. Serenity's garments appeared on her as a smile came to her lips.  
  
  
  
  
  
Fighter, not having her yell, was going to have to go at this battle with only her limbs. A feeling began to build inside her and she could feel the warmth and energy that she had felt before when Usagi's soul had entered inside of her. The feeling became stronger and stronger as it seemed to fill every part of her being and she knew that this was her Odango inside of her. Fighter tilted her head back and closed her eyes with her arms out- stretched just moments before the attack was about to strike her.  
  
A column of white light poured out from Fighter's figure as it sent ripples of energy out in every direction. The forms of the dark soldiers were shaken and becoming instable as the light reverberated through them. One by one they would all drop to their knees and then to the ground in defeat.  
  
The light eventually stopped and Fighter's head came down to look at what had happened. There were soldiers laying only inches from her body dead on the ground. The bodies of the dark army lay like carpet over the arena floor with a slight haze lingering over them. 'The souls of the people from the city that they fed off of.' Fighter thought to herself as she watched more and more souls being released. Realizing that she had left her back to Isai, Fighter quickly turned around to see him standing an arm's length behind her.  
  
His face was awe-struck as he just stared at her. "Who are you?" He asked as his fists shook beside him. "Who are you to destroy my army this way?!" His voice grew louder as did his anger.  
  
Fighter could feel her heart pound harder as his shouts reached her, they seemed to shake her soul. Just as before her arrogance was seen in her features as she simply smiled at him with her head slightly tilted down and her hands on her hips.  
  
"No. Not again, you can not defeat me again." Isai drew his sword from its holder and prepared to attack Fighter. "The only person with this kind of power was the white moon princess, and that is why I took care of her first!" The sword shook in his hands as did the rest of his body.  
  
"And that was your mistake!" Fighter said as she blasted Isai with a powerful laser of white energy. The energy came straight out of her hand and she didn't even have to call it or summon it, it was just there.  
  
Isai was a huddled mass on the floor as Fighter walked over to tower over him and blast him again. Fighter's hands came in front of her to blast him when she suddenly stopped. Isai was puzzled by this and had no idea why she didn't just finish him off right there.  
  
Usagi's voice rang in Fighter's subconscious. Fighter felt her strong sense of justice and urge to do what was right. Fighter felt her power draining from her as Usagi's form floated lightly in front of her. "Serenity." Isai hissed from his position on the ground. Usagi looked down at the wounded man. "I knew that this Starlight couldn't have defeated me alone."  
  
Fighter was ready to pounce on him when she saw Usagi's form wave her not to. To her surprise the ghost-like apparatus began to speak. "Isai." The words were almost a whisper. "Do you remember why you began this war all of those years ago?" She asked as she knelt down beside him. She and he both knew that he couldn't hurt her now. "Do you remember your daughters and their deaths?"  
  
Tears began coming to Isai's eyes as he remembered the true reason that he was fighting. "You took them away from me, and that's why I had to kill you." He was clearly agitated and emotional.  
  
"No, that's wrong. The rebels killed your daughters." Usagi corrected him with a stern look on her face. "Instead of coming to us and asking us for our help, you decided to fight us and wage war on an entire planet." Usagi put her transparent hand on top of his. "We could have helped."  
  
Isai broke down into an open expression of grief as his head dropped to his hands. Sobs came every now and again. This wasn't putting Fighter at ease who was still ready to fight him if need be. Usagi smiled up at her and reassured her that everything was over now. Usagi came closer to Fighter as she entered in to her again. Fighter understood that Usagi couldn't do anything or use her powers in the form that she was in and needed her body as an amplifier.  
  
Isai looked up to see the two joining once again and gaze with wonderment at the very sight of such a thing. He could see a white aura surrounding the senshi and growing brighter by the moment. Soon he became encircled by it too and felt the warm joy that washed over him. All of those years of hatred and being alone he had missed this feeling. His body was being cleansed of all the darkness and his true feelings were being restored.  
  
When Fighter opened her eyes she saw Isai's form in front of her but it appeared to be much like Usagi's in the fact that it was only his soul. "Thank you." He said, as he took turned around to see four girls standing behind him in a horseshoe shape. He nodded at them and took off puncturing a hole through the soil above them and letting in the shine of the stars now present in the night sky. Isai's soul was finally going to be at peace with his daughters. 


	10. ten

Part X  
  
The blanket of souls that covered the dead soldiers began to glow and grow brighter. Fighter shielded her eyes from the light, it was too bright for her to adjust to after being down in this pit of hell for so long. Usagi, on the other hand, stood and admired its brilliance and smiled approvingly. Without any other warning the souls shot up through the hole in the ceiling that Isai had made.  
  
Fighter and Usagi ran over to stand under the hole to watch them leave. They gazed up as they saw the souls shoot off in all directions and seem to become part of the night sky. "What will happen to them?" Fighter asked still looking upwards.  
  
Usagi turned her gaze from the sky to Fighter. "They will be forever at peace."  
  
This statement shocked Fighter and she turned quickly to catch Usagi's sight. Why was she talking like they were dead and that they couldn't bring them back to life? "Forever at peace?"  
  
"Yes. They are no longer of this world and have been released from their torture and human form to live in the world of the dead." Usagi could see the concern growing on Fighter's face but couldn't do anything to comfort her in this form.  
  
Having been through so much and being exhausted, Fighter's emotions began to get the better of her as her eyes began to well up with tears. "Does that mean that I've lost you all? Am I responsible for everyone and this is my punishment? To be alone?" Fighter's tone was shaky as she hoped that what she had just asked wasn't true. She trembled as she turned to Usagi for the answers.  
  
Usagi smiled warmly at Fighter and brought her hand up to touch her face. Her transparent hand passed through Fighter's cheek and jawbone as she closed her eyes. "It is true that the people of Kinkomu can not be resurrected but all have the senshi and Princess Kakyuu can." There was a noticeable change in Fighter's expression.  
  
"But how? I mean, why can we resurrect the senshi and not the people of this planet." She was confused and didn't want to seem like she was complaining about getting all of them back, she just wanted to understand.  
  
"The souls of the senshi were taken in one shot. The souls of the people of this planet were eaten away slowly and drained. We can only resurrect those whose souls are still complete. The other's will be here shortly."  
  
Fighter's face turned from that of concern to complete bliss, but then faded a bit when she thought about what Usagi had just said. "Why do you keep saying 'WE' when you talk about resurrecting them?" Fighter knew that none of the other senshi had any powers to do this and the only other person that she could think of that Usagi could be talking about was Princess Kakyuu.  
  
"I say 'WE' because I mean you and I." Usagi pointed her finger first at Fighter and then turned it back on herself. "I'm still only a spirit. I can't do anything without my body. I need your help to get home and to bring my soul and the souls of the Earth senshi home. Will you help me?"  
  
Usagi needed her once again and she would of course do anything for her Odango. "Absolutely, when do we leave?" Fighter said jokingly trying to express her enthusiasm.  
  
Usagi smiled before replying. "Whenever you are ready."  
  
"Thank you for everything you did even though this was my fault for not warning you in time. I was so foolish and I can only hope that foolishness doesn't blind me in the future to cause such a catastrophe again." Fighter's head was hung low as she apologized to Usagi.  
  
"You don't need to say sorry. Just promise me one thing. Promise me that you'll never lose hope again. Everyone believes in you, especially me." The last part was added in almost a whisper but a touching tone.  
  
Fighter looked up and her eyes met Usagi's. She was ready to tell her everything that she had always wanted to but never could. As always though, the moment was ruined by the voice of Healer sounding through the room. "What a freaken head ache!" She bellowed as she held her hand to her head. Healer was followed closely by Maker and Princess Kakyuu.  
  
"Minna!!" Fighter yelled as she ran to them. Her arms were soon wrapped around the small group of senshi and the princess. "I'm so happy you're alright." Sniff, sniff.  
  
"Are you crying?" Healer snorted as she pushed Fighter away a bit. "We leave you alone for a little while and you go soft and turn into an emotional little baby?" Healer teased as Maker and Kakyuu sweat dropped.  
  
"Why you little. I'm not crying, who the hell would cry over you!? You should be thanking me for bringing back your pathetic ass!" Fighter stood with her arms crossed and her back slightly to Healer.  
  
"I love you too Fighter." Healer said as she wrapped her arms around her taller companion. Fighter smiled and did the same.  
  
A slight cough came from behind Fighter. "Hello everyone." Usagi's voice was still soft but the others heard her, their heads whipped up to see her ghost-like form before them. "What?" Usagi noticed their staring.  
  
"What happened to your body?" Maker asked having already figured out what was going on.  
  
"Her body is on Earth with the other Earth senshi. We have to bring their souls back to them." Fighter began to explain the whole situation about the senshi and the people of this planet.  
  
"Usagi?" Kakyuu stepped forward to present herself the way that a princess would. "May I ask something of you?" Usagi nodded in response. "The Starlights and I have no reason to stay here on Kinkomu any longer, we have nothing to protect. May we call Earth our home, and become your protectors?"  
  
The Starlights looked at Kakyuu like she was crazy or like she had just grown a tail or like she had just drove a pizza truck into a marshmallow factory or like she had. well you get the idea.  
  
"No." Usagi said as she looked directly at Kakyuu. "You may not become my protectors. You are free to call Earth your home without any strings attached." Usagi gave Kakyuu a hug which surprised Kakyuu since no one ever did that to her. "Ready?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"No, we're all alright now. no, you're right, I wouldn't have been able to call you if I was dead, good point genius!. I know, it sucks, I just died, saved an entire planet and invited aliens to live on our planet and they are still making me go to school tomorrow! The nerve of these people!. Sure I'd love to come and see you at school sometime!. Alright, ja ne Mamo! Aishiteru too!" Usagi hung up the phone to turn and see her guests waiting for her.  
  
"How is Mamoru doing in America?" Ami asked as she picked Usagi's coat up from the sofa nearby. The girls all met at Usagi's house to get together and hang out.  
  
"He's doing fine. He actually seems to have more of a life over there then he did here. He actually goes out!! I know, I don't even have to drag him places, he's going out on his own!" Usagi saw how surprised the girls were and to tell the truth she was completely surprised too when she found out. Maybe this time when he came back they would actually fall back into love again!  
  
Rei walked over to Usagi to get her away from the fridge. "Does that worry you?" She realized that Usagi might not have understood. "I mean the fact that Mamoru all of the sudden got off his but and found a life other than you?"  
  
The question hadn't really come to her before and she didn't quite know how to answer Rei. Sure she was happy that he was going to come back and be more of the kind of man she wanted him to be and not a stick in the mud but if he was going out then maybe he'd see the things that he was missing by being with her. Wait a minute, how could she get jealous of that, she did the same thing! "No, it doesn't bother me, why would it?" The answer sounded sincere but Usagi knew that it was forced.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Starlights began to make Earth their home, it wasn't too hard of a task for the boys, and yes they remained guys when they came back to Earth. Kakyuu was a different story. It was hard for her to adjust to the cultural changes not to mention the physical changes of the landscape. She had decided to go to school with the Lights and become just a normal girl, that she had no qualms about.  
  
"I never thought I'd be back here again!" Yaten sighed as he plopped down on the couch. "I'm not complaining though."  
  
Taiki had been sitting on the other end of the couch reading a book. "I hate to admit it, but I did miss this place."  
  
"I think it's better this time now that we don't have a mission, and we know that Kakyuu is safe." He looked up at the ceiling. "It's just a load off your mind, some how being a teen idol doesn't seem that bad now."  
  
Taiki looked over at the closed door across the room. "I just feel bad for Seiya that's all. That seems to be the only down side to all of this."  
  
"What are you talking about? Mamoru is in America and he gets to see Usagi everyday at school, what the hell does he have to complain about?" Yaten couldn't see any flaws in the life that his comrade was living.  
  
"You'll never understand will you." Taiki shook his head as he put his book down. "Now he has to see her everyday and be reminded of how much he loves her and can't be with her."  
  
Taiki's point was true and Yaten realized that this alone had been the source of Seiya's depression since they had returned to Earth. He didn't show it in front of any one and played it off as though he was just fine, but the Lights knew better. Yaten suddenly got an evil grin across his face. "Well we'll just have to take his mind off of her then!"  
  
Taiki moved away a bit as he saw the facial expression that Yaten was making. "Don't tell me that you had an idea. Oh god, it's the end of the world! The apocalypse is here!" He threw his arms up over his head for a touch of drama.  
  
While Taiki was distracted and mocking praying to god Yaten threw the big decorative pillow in his face. "Shut up!"  
  
Taiki was stunned that the little runt had the guts to do that, but then he remembered that Yaten always seemed to grow a little braver when Seiya wasn't around. "Hey, why do we have girly decorative pillows here?" Taiki asked while holding the thing out like it was a dirty pair of gym socks.  
  
"It's Kakyuu's, she said this place needed a woman's touch." He waved his hand in front of him seeming to clear the conversation and returning back to his marvelous plan. "So, do you want to hear about my idea or not?" He folded his arms in anticipation.  
  
"Sure why not?" Taiki shrugged.  
  
"Well, we should try to hook Seiya up with some one else. Maybe he'll find some one to take his mind of his 'Odango'." Yaten makes dreamy eyes and tilts his head while holding his cheeks. "I've had it up to here with him and his 'Odango'!"  
  
Taiki shakes his head. "That's the best you could come up with? I don't think Seiya would go along with that."  
  
"Oh yes he will, especially if we get Kakyuu to suggest it!" Yaten began to map out his evil plan in his head then suddenly bolted up out of his seat towards the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Taiki asks throwing an arm over the back of the couch to turn himself around.  
  
"To find Kakyuu!" The door shut behind him and he was gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Where's Usagi?" Rei asked as she approached the booth at Crown. Minako, Ami, Makoto, Taiki and Yaten were all sitting there enjoying their drinks and conversation.  
  
Minako began to giggle. Ami rolled her eyes at her then answered Rei. "Where do you think she is? She got detention with Seiya."  
  
"You're right, I should have known." Rei sat shook her head and sat down on the edge of the seat.  
  
"Good they're not going to be here for a while, I can finally tell you guys about my plan." Yaten spoke up and leaned across the table.  
  
"What plan?" Minako became interested. If it was something sneaky like spying or playing cupid she was into it.  
  
"Ewe, Minako where did you get that shirt?" Yaten looked at her hideous T- shirt.  
  
"My pen exploded just before I left school and I took this shirt out of your locker to wear!" She stuck her tongue out and pulled down her lower eyelid.  
  
"Anyway." Yaten waved her off. "We were wondering."  
  
Taiki cut Yaten off. "No, we weren't wondering anything, YATEN was wondering. continue."  
  
Yaten just waved Taiki off in the same manner that he had Minako. ". I . was wondering if you guys knew anyone we could hook Seiya up with? He won't go out and look for anyone so we figured that we'd help him out. What do you think?"  
  
Their faces were shocked. None of them could imagine Seiya going after anyone except Usagi, but Yaten was right, they all knew nothing would ever come of that situation. "I know some one!" Minako raised her hand as a person came to mind.  
  
"Who?" Yaten asked with his eyebrow raised. This suggestion was going to come from Minako so he had to prepare himself for anything.  
  
Everyone looked at Minako waiting for an answer. "ME!!" She pointed to herself. Everyone face faulted on to the tabletop. "What?" Minako looked around.  
  
"You know, it's not a bad idea." Taiki said after he had thought about it for a minute. "Now that it has sunk in, if Seiya goes out with Minako that would take the pressure off of him to meet some one new and that way he can work in gradually to dating other people."  
  
"Good idea, that way he'll build his confidence and be able to approach strangers." Ami agreed with Taiki's analytical interpretation.  
  
"WHAT!! What makes you think he's going to have to look for anyone else after he dates me?" Minako was hurt. Yaten just laughed at her. Minako turned to give him the death glare and held her fist up in front of his face.  
  
"So how are you guys going to set this whole thing up?" Makoto asked, she kind of wished that she had thought of Minako's idea first, she thought that Seiya kind of looked like her ex-boyfriend.  
  
Everyone sat around scratching their heads. Yes even Taiki and Ami. "God you're dumb, just ask him!" Rei said as she smacked Minako in the back of the head.  
  
"Ow!" Minako rubbed the now sore spot on the back of her head. "Do you think Usagi will get mad at me?"  
  
"Why would Usagi get mad at you? It's not like her and Seiya are going out, if they were we wouldn't be having this problem." Yaten scolded her.  
  
"You are so mean to me some times, no wait all of the time! I may be your future Starlight-in-law so watch out!" She threatened him again.  
  
"What are you talking about? What the hell is a Starlight-in-law? I think Rei might have hit you a little too hard in the head!" Everyone laughed and Minako was just about to counter his insult when she saw Seiya and Usagi approaching.  
  
"Hi sweet heart!" Minako stood up and waved at Seiya. Usagi and Seiya stopped dead in their tracks when they saw and heard Minako.  
  
"How was detention?" Ami asked the two.  
  
"It sucked. Sensei made me write an essay on how it isn't polite to flirt with girls in his class and made Usagi write one on how it isn't polite to eat while in class." Seiya sat down next to Taiki who was on one end and Usagi sat down next to Rei who was on the other.  
  
"Well I've got to get going, I have a lot of homework to do!" Minako jumped up out of her seat. "Seiya will you walk me home?" She batted her eyes.  
  
Seiya looked a little scared because of how she greeted him earlier but saw no way out of it as Taiki began to push him out of the booth. "I guess." He said a little reluctantly and followed Minako.  
  
When the two were out of sight and hearing range Usagi questioned the group. "What was that all about?" She pointed her thumb over her shoulder.  
  
"Minako is going to ask Seiya out on a date." Makoto spoke up first. "Short guy over here thought that it would be a good idea if we got him to start dating." Makoto pointed at Yaten who was becoming red in the face because Makoto had called him short.  
  
Usagi saw this and started talking to him. "Well that's good news for you Yaten. If Seiya and Minako hook up she won't be hanging all over you!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Well this is my house. Thank you for walking me home." Minako stepped up onto her doorstep.  
  
"Sure, but why did you ask me to walk with you?" The question had been on his mind the entire time.  
  
"Well, the truth is that I wanted to ask you something, and I wanted to ask you when we were alone." Minako began to fidget with her fingers.  
  
Seiya sighed. "I've already told you Minako, Yaten wears boxers not briefs." Minako had come to him not too long ago asking this question.  
  
A smirk came to her face as she remembered but then shook it out of her head. "No, that's not what I wanted to ask you. I wanted to know if you would go out with me tomorrow night."  
  
Seiya was thrown off guard by her question and his immediate response was to say no, but he knew he couldn't do that, it would hurt her feelings. "Why didn't you ask Yaten?"  
  
"I didn't ask Yaten because I wanted to go out with you."  
  
Seiya thought about that one for a second but then shrugged it off. "I guess so."  
  
Before he could finish his sentence Minako kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Seiya!" She said quickly before going into her front door.  
  
Seiya stood outside with a bewildered look on his face but then began to walk home. What was he doing? 


	11. eleven

Part XI  
  
"So where is he taking you?" Makoto asked as she sat on Minako's bed.  
  
Minako was getting ready to go out on her date with Seiya that night. "No he didn't say where we were going, and that's why I'm having such a hard time finding something to wear. If he's going to make it in this dating world he's going to have to learn how to let a girl know how to be prepared!" Minako was becoming aggravated as she hunted through her closet for that perfect outfit.  
  
Makoto sighed as she lay back on the bed. "I wish I had that problem. Every girl in Japan wanted to date me and all I had to do was choose which one I wanted to date."  
  
Minako stood up straight from her messy pile of laundry. "You want to date girls now?"  
  
Makoto sat up shaking her head. "No dumb ass, I was just using it as an analogy!" Makoto became a little red in the face as she saw Minako laughing at her.  
  
"Well that's not what you said. So what do you think? Is this alright?" Minako began doing poses for Makoto to judge her outfit.  
  
"Minako, that's the one you started off wearing!" Makoto got up to walk over to the pile of magazines that sat on top of Minako's dresser. "What about Yaten? Are you saying you officially gave up on him? Inquiring minds want to know!"  
  
Makoto had one of the magazines rolled up and placed it in front of Minako's face as a microphone. "Come on, get that thing out of my face." Makoto sat back down and began flipping through the pages. "I didn't say I gave up. Remember my original mission is to get all three of them, although I don't think that Taiki is really my style now that I get to know him."  
  
Makoto chuckled at her friend as continued to flip through the pages. "You're just mad that Yaten doesn't pay attention to you, or at least not as much as you'd like. I would almost be inclined to think that you were doing this to get Yaten, not Seiya." She looked up to see Minako's reaction. "I mean come on, do you really think that you and Seiya are going to hook up? Do you really want to be the one that he settled for?"  
  
Minako pondered the thought for a moment. "Hmm. let me see.uh YEAH!!" She quickly spun back around to the closet and began her search anew again.  
  
  
  
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Yaten sat on the couch in the living room waiting to use the bathroom. "Oh come on you've been in there for almost a half an hour now!" He yelled at the door with a disgruntled look on his face.  
  
Seiya and Taiki looked on from the doorway to the kitchen. "I don't think he's used to some one taking more time in the bathroom than him." Seiya smirked.  
  
"You know she's just doing this to get him fumed." Taiki sighed as he began to think about Kakyuu. "You know, she's really changed since we came to Earth. Not in a bad way, but a good one."  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Now she can just let loose and be normal. I hate to admit it but I like her better this way. Sarcastic little brat that she's become, she's definitely competition for Yaten now!" Seiya turned to finish up what he was doing in the kitchen.  
  
The bathroom door opened to reveal a primped up version of Kakyuu. "You know Yaten, you could show a little more courtesy to a lady."  
  
"You're not a lady any more! You've become as much as a pig as the rest of us, well maybe not Seiya but still!" Yaten pushed his way past her and into the bathroom.  
  
The door slammed shut in Kakyuu's face and in a few seconds they heard a very relieved sigh come from the room. "You're not all that and a bag of chips either you know!!" Kakyuu said when the door opened again to show a much more pleasant Yaten.  
  
Yaten gave her a little 'whatever' sign and walked back to his seat on the couch. "Queen." Kakyuu muttered under her breath and sat down next to him. (If you don't know why she called him a queen then consider yourself fortunate.)  
  
Seiya and Taiki soon joined the other two in the living room. Seiya was finishing off the rest of his burger when he sat down between Kakyuu and Yaten on the couch. "So I take it you're not taking Minako some place to eat tonight." Yaten snorted.  
  
Seiya just gave him a side-glance. "What are you talking about?"  
  
The three's eyes went wide as they looked at Seiya. "Your date with Minako tonight, remember?" Taiki informed the clueless man of his plans.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot. I should probably get going to go and get her huh?" Seiya got up off the couch and headed to his room. He was soon back with his keys in hand.  
  
"What?! You're not going to even change and look nice for her?" Yaten asked. He seemed a little disgruntled about the whole situation.  
  
"Unlike you I always look good. Hey if you want to go in my place be my guest, I can always call Odango up and do something." Seiya offered his keys to Yaten as though he was handing over his date.  
  
Kakyuu stood up between the two. "You know Seiya, this date is never going to work out if you just think of it as something you had to do instead of spending time with Usagi."  
  
"Who said I wanted it to work out?" Seiya asked as he shoved the keys in his pocket. "I'm just doing this to be nice to Minako."  
  
"You'd better be nice to Minako!" Yaten snorted out.  
  
"Wow, where did that come from?" Taiki turned to look down at Yaten who had his arms folded across his chest trying to make himself look a little bigger than he was. "What are you going to do if he isn't nice to her?" He was finding amusement in this whole situation.  
  
"I'm gonna. Nothing, leave me alone!" Yaten shouted back as the others had to stifle a laugh.  
  
Kakyuu, taking a serious tone, approached Seiya and put her hands on his shoulders. "Sweet heart, you know that she already has some one right? Why do you want to waste your life chasing after some one you can never be with?"  
  
Seiya had no answer just looked at Kakyuu like this was the first time he had heard this news. What? He could never be with his Odango, he already knew that but it still felt like she had just slapped him in the face. Taiki decided to add his two cents. "She's right. We just wanted you to start dating other people, who knows, maybe you'll find some one you like even more than Usagi."  
  
That was it, that was all Seiya could listen to then decided to turn and walk out the door.  
  
  
  
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"Thanks for agreeing to come out with me tonight." Minako said as the two walked from her house towards Seiya's bike.  
  
"Minako, we're friends, I'd do anything for my friends." Seiya handed her a helmet.  
  
Minako looked down at the helmet and fumbled around with the strap. She had spent a while doing her hair and now he expected her to wear this? That was rude. She saw no need in arguing the issue though, it's not like she wanted to fall off and crack her head open, she didn't want to fall off at all come to think of it. Minako began to take her red bow out of her hair and put it in her bag. "So where are we going?" She asked ignoring the 'friend' comment.  
  
Seiya glanced over at her once he had his helmet on to see if she needed any help with hers. He found himself staring at Minako for more than a short period of time. "Umm. we're. " He was at a loss for words as he admired Minako with her hair down. "going to see a movie, if that's alright with you?"  
  
"What?" Minako was beginning to become uncomfortable with him staring at her like that.  
  
"I said I wanted to."  
  
Minako cut him off. "No, I mean what are you staring at, I heard you."  
  
Seiya felt himself blush a bit as he realized that Minako had noticed. Come on, how could she not have noticed, he was staring at her for almost ever! "You know, you look a bit like Odango when you don't have your hair pulled back."  
  
Minako face faulted. She thought that he was staring at her amazing goddess of love and beauty face not thinking about how she looked just a little bit like Usagi. "Let's go." 'This is going to be a long night.' She thought to herself as she mounted the bike.  
  
Seiya had figured that they would go to a movie. Some place dark and some place where they wouldn't have to talk to each other too much. Perfect. This is why he chose to ride his bike there too, he didn't have to make conversation with her.  
  
They had arrived a little late and missed the opening credits of the movie. They didn't get a chance to talk before the movie started either. Minako, being as sly as she was looked over at Seiya throughout the movie to see what he was paying attention to, her or the movie. She was sadly disappointed when she realized he was content with the movie. 'Maybe he just needs some motivation!' She thought to herself with a smile.  
  
Seiya felt Minako's hand make it's way onto his and quickly looked down at it and then at Minako. "Goober?" He asked her while freeing his hand to offer her the snack.  
  
Minako took the candy and huffed while she slumped back down in her seat. Seiya smiled at the fact that he had discouraged her, but then again he didn't really know Minako that well!  
  
After the movie was over the two exited the theatre and made their way to the coffee shop on the corner. "That was such a great movie, I could definitely watch that again." Minako skipped along on their way. "What do you think? Did you like it?" She glanced over at Seiya who was looking straight ahead with his hands shoved in his pockets.  
  
"Yeah, it was pretty funny." He chuckled to himself as he continued his thought. "I bet Odango would be rolling on the floor after watching that one!" He continued to laugh and didn't notice the displeased look he was getting from Minako.  
  
Minako passed it off, she was going to have to work pretty hard to try and find things to do and talk about that didn't remind him of Usagi. When they were finally seated in their booth the waitress came over to take their orders. They weren't ordering food just a little nightcap before he dropped her back off. "Can I take you order?"  
  
"Sure we'll have two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream." Seiya said smiling at the waitress.  
  
"Wait a minute, I hate whipped cream!" Minako voiced in before the waitress wrote the order down wrong. "I'll have a hot tea with lemon." She corrected.  
  
When the waitress walked away Seiya looked down at the tabletop. "Sorry, it's just that whenever Odango and I go out we always order two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream."  
  
Minako began to wave her hand in front of Seiya's face. "Earth to Seiya. Hello!. I'm not Usagi, or haven't you noticed?" Minako couldn't take it any more, she had to let him know how much this was bugging the living daylights out of her.  
  
Seiya looked up at her like he hadn't done anything wrong. "I know that."  
  
"Well it's not exactly polite to go out on a date a girl and talk constantly about another girl. That's why guys end up getting slapped so much!" Minako tried her best to look threatening but failed when she started to giggle.  
  
He had to laugh back at her and their drinks came. "I don't know why everyone is so worried about me finding a girl friend." Seiya commented as he stirred his drink.  
  
After placing her cup down Minako reached across the table and put her hand on top of his, this time not to come on to him but to comfort him. "Can you just humor us? Please? You never know, if you let loose a little you might actually have fun. Next time we'll try to hook you up with some one who looks absolutely nothing like Usagi, OK?"  
  
Seiya looked up at her. 'Next time?' What was this girl thinking? "Well are you ready to get going?"  
  
Minako grabbed her bag and got up to and waited for Seiya to do the same. He left the bill on the table with his tip and they left the restaurant. They had a bit of a walk ahead of them to get back to his bike. "You know, I'm going to walk into a whole bunch of questions when I get home. Yaten will be all over me." Seiya laughed at himself when he thought of the little midget badgering him with his silly inquiries.  
  
"Good, let him suffer!" Minako huffed. "Maybe now he'll see that I'm not to be taken for granted and that I can have any man I want and he'd better get his ass in gear and ask me out!"  
  
Seiya couldn't help but laugh, he didn't know that Minako knew that Yaten liked her, but this made it all the more amusing. They proceeded to put their helmets on and get on the bike.  
  
They soon pulled up in front of Minako's house and Seiya turned the bike off as he helped Minako off. "I had fun with you tonight." He said, and he actually wasn't lying, it just wasn't the kind of fun that everyone hoped he would have.  
  
"Seiya, I hope you get through this. I know you don't want my advice or suggestions but I do think this is best for you. Usagi loves Mamoru and the sooner you face that the better." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "And I don't mind if you exaggerate that kiss to Yaten when you tell him about it either." Minako walked off ranting and raving under her breath about the hostile little midget that she has grown to love.  
  
"Goodnight Minako." Seiya said behind her and started back up his bike to go home.  
  
The lights to Seiya's apartment were still on when he approached the building. He fumbled a bit putting his key in the door but finally got it as he swung the door open to see a very wide eyed Yaten sitting on the couch.  
  
"So how did it go?" He asked anxiously.  
  
Taiki and Kakyuu weren't around. Seiya made his way to the couch and plopped down next to Yaten taking the remote. "I think I'm in love!" He exclaimed.  
  
"WHAT!!!" Yaten screamed and stood up straight sneering down at Seiya. "I let you go out on one date with MY Minako and you think you're in love? Well you'd better forget about it Mister cause it ain't gonna happen!!"  
  
Seiya started rolling on the floor laughing while Yaten continued to shake his finger at him. "I'm just kidding, boy you're gullible!" Seiya stopped laughing and sat up on the floor. "And by the way, since when did she become YOUR Minako? I don't remember that."  
  
Yaten got red in the face and refused to answer Seiya's prying question. He turned quickly and stormed off to bed leaving Seiya pleasantly amused in the living room. 


	12. twelve

Part XII  
  
It was almost lunchtime and already Seiya was fed up the looks that he was getting from all his friends. He knew they were all looking at him and wondering how his date with Minako went. He had thought for sure that Minako with her big mouth would have told everyone all about it, but for some reason she was being very secretive about the whole thing.  
  
Seiya walked a bit until he found a nice secluded area under a tree to enjoy his lunch in peace and quiet. "Finally I get to be alone." He muttered under his breath as he began opening is bag.  
  
"Oh, sorry, you wanted to be alone? I'll leave." A voice came from behind him and caused him to turn around to see its owner.  
  
"No, Odango, you can stay. I was just trying to get away from some annoying people, that's all." He smiled reassuringly at her as he motioned for her to join him. "Where's your lunch?" He asked noticing her empty hands.  
  
Usagi twiddled her fingers in front of her as she looked down at them. "Um. I actually. Well, I was running a little late this morning and I forgot it when I was running out the door."  
  
Seiya let a chuckle escape his lips. (Manly men like Seiya don't 'giggle') "Here, you can share mine with me."  
  
Immediately Usagi's face lit up as she graciously accepted his offer and began chowing down. Through a mouth completely filled with food some words tried to escape every now and again. "So. how. was. your. date. with.Minako?" She managed to get out without losing any of her precious food.  
  
Seiya sighed, this was the one person, well wait a minute maybe Yaten too, that he didn't want to have this conversation with. "It was alright." He said plainly while offering her some more food. Maybe if he could keep her mouth full she wouldn't ask him so many questions.  
  
Of course Usagi took the food but kept talking anyway. "Minako won't tell any of us what happened so it must have been pretty good!"  
  
"I think she's just doing that to aggravate Yaten, you know how touchy he can be."  
  
"Yeah, but still, what did you guys do?" Usagi was curious to say the least and wasn't about to let the subject drop.  
  
"We went to the movies and then I brought her home." He saw no need in rehashing every little detail of their time together, to tell the truth, he didn't really remember that much about it.  
  
"So are you guys going out on another one any time soon?"  
  
Seiya gave her a shocked look and stopped eating. "No."  
  
"Yeah right. You guys are going to hook up now aren't you? She always said she'd catch one of you!" Usagi laughed as she remembered her blond friend's determination.  
  
Seiya couldn't believe what she was saying. How could she think that? She knows that she's the only one that he wanted. Before he could correct her a girl approached the two with Yaten.  
  
"Hi Seiya, this is Suzaki." He introduced the mystery girl.  
  
Seiya and Usagi both waved and said hello. "Nice to meet you." The girl seemed very confident and sure of herself. "I was wondering what you were doing tonight? I know that you have a busy schedule and everything, but Yaten told me that you were free tonight and I was wondering if you'd like to get together and do something with me?"  
  
Yaten was standing behind the girl where she couldn't see him giving him thumbs up signs and little OK symbols. Seiya's face grew displeased and a little red due to the sudden urge to smack Yaten. Out of no where Seiya felt Usagi nudge him in the side. "You should go, you'll have fun. I know her she's really funny."  
  
"Thanks Usagi!" Suzaki smiled with her hands behind her back.  
  
Usagi didn't really know why she had just said that, she knew this girl had, how do I put this nicely, a 'reputation' and she wasn't helping her image by sticking her chest out like that either.  
  
Seiya looked at Usagi like she was crazy but saw that there was once again no way out of this and had to accept. "Sounds good, how about I meet you at Crown at 6:00?"  
  
"Great see you then! Ja ne" She took off skipping away.  
  
Yaten took this opportunity to sit down next to Seiya and Usagi, well actually in between them and finish the rest of Seiya's lunch before Usagi realized what he was doing. "See I told you I would help you out."  
  
"But I didn't need your help. I was planning on seeing Minako again." Seiya said once he noticed his food was gone.  
  
"WHAT!!" Once again escaped Yaten's lips as he noticed the two laughing at him.  
  
"Just don't do that to me again or you'll pay for it."  
  
"Well I've got to go. I'll see you guys later!" Usagi got up and brushed herself off as she hurriedly took off towards the school.  
  
"Way to go moron!" Seiya slapped Yaten upside the head.  
  
"Oww! What did you do that for, I did you a favor." Yaten rubbed his tender wound that he had just received.  
  
Seiya saw no sense in explaining the obvious to him and headed in the direction that Usagi just went.  
  
  
  
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"I picked out your clothes for you this time. You're going to make an effort if it kills you!" Kakyuu explained as she pointed out the ensemble that she had laid out on Seiya's bed.  
  
"Yeah, you know this time it isn't one of your friends. This girl won't take it as well as Minako did if you aren't nice to her." Taiki joined their conversation.  
  
"This, coming from you Mr. I haven't had a date in forever!" Seiya criticized.  
  
  
  
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The inners sat around a booth at Crown enjoying a snack. They had all met here after dinner to hang out together, well everyone minus Usagi. She was stuck watching Shingo tonight.  
  
"Do you think I should ask Seiya out next?" Rei asked finishing off her pie.  
  
Minako shook her head. "I wouldn't go out with him again."  
  
The girls were all very surprised when she said this. This was the first that she had said anything about the 'date' to them. "Why not, Seiya's a sweet heart?" Ami asked.  
  
"Yeah, I thought you were excited to go out with him the other night?" Makoto remembered helping Minako get ready for her 'date'.  
  
"I was excited. You have no idea how hard it was to keep his mind off of Usagi though." Suddenly everyone seemed to understand the dilemma. "Every little thing reminded him of her, he even told me at one point that I kind of looked like her with my hair down!"  
  
"What were you doing with your hair down? Huh Minako?" Makoto poked her in the ribs.  
  
"Oww, stop it you hentai! I had to wear a helmet OK?" She tried her best to defend herself, but she doubted that Makoto believed her.  
  
"Well, you know, you do look a bit like her in some ways. Maybe it was just an honest opinion." Rei tried to defend him. "See that's why he should have gone out with me. I look nothing like a little dumpling haired cry baby!"  
  
Minako was about to defend herself again when she saw Seiya walk into Crown and sit in a booth not too far away from them. "Do you see who I see?" She asked instead.  
  
The girls looked over to witness the sight the Minako just did and also noticed Suzaki walking over towards him. "What is she doing here?" Makoto questioned.  
  
"Who is she?" Rei didn't go to the same school as the others and had never seen this girl before.  
  
"Bad news." Was all that Makoto replied.  
  
Ami butted in. "She's going out on a date with Seiya tonight." The girls quickly turned to look at the poor blue haired girl. "What? Taiki told me." She held her hands up defensively.  
  
The couple that they were so interested in got up and began to leave. Suzaki was latched onto Seiya's arm like some lovesick puppy.  
  
"Hi guys what's going on?"  
  
The group turned around again to see Usagi standing behind them. "What happened to Shingo?" Rei asked not noticing him.  
  
An evil grin appeared on Usagi's face as she held up a roll of duct tape. "It's a wonder what you can do with a simple roll of tape. I just have to be back in time to untape him before my parents get home. What were you guys staring at?" Usagi got up on her toes to try and see what was going on.  
  
Minako quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her down in the booth with them. "Seiya was just here on a date with SUZAKI of all people!"  
  
"Yeah, I know." Usagi freed her arm. "Yaten introduced them today at lunch. Why did you pull me down so hard like that?"  
  
"I don't know. I guess I just thought it would bother you seeing him going out with other girls." Minako's reply was shy and it almost seemed like she had regretted saying it in the first place.  
  
Usagi shot Minako a confused look and then looked around to see everyone else's faces. "Minako? Why would it bother me to see Seiya with other girls?"  
  
"I don't know. I just thought."  
  
"I'm dating Mamo remember? Why would I have any interest in what was going on in Seiya's love life?"  
  
There seemed to be a sigh of relief escaping from the girl's mouths as Usagi reinstated her relationship with Mamoru. They had all wondered about her feelings for a while before the whole Isai incident had happened and thought that perhaps something had changed. In a way they were right. Usagi did realize that she didn't love Mamoru any more but she also realized that when he came home from America that she would have the chance to fall in love with him all over again, especially now that he was more out going.  
  
"You know what would be fun?" Makoto abruptly changed the subject with a playful tone in her voice. "We should follow them!"  
  
Usagi pulled Minako back down into the booth with her.  
  
  
  
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The bell rang to signal the beginning of the day. Once again, (like she would some how be on time, give me a break!), Usagi came ripping into class at the speed of light and quickly took her seat as the giant dust cloud that was following her slowly subdued.  
  
"Miss Tsukino, do I even have to say it?" The teacher asked as she looked up from her desk.  
  
"No, I know, detention." Usagi sighed as she put her head down on her desk. She heard Seiya laughing from behind her and turned around to see him trying his hardest to keep quiet.  
  
"Mr. Kou, are we going to start this again this morning?" The teacher once again looked up this time directing her comments to a red Seiya. "Leave Miss Tsukino alone or I will have to move your seat."  
  
"Yes mamma." Seiya tried to look sorry although he wasn't. He would have to stay on the teacher's good side now so that she didn't move him away from his Odango.  
  
Usagi turned around and gave him a haha-how-do-like-it smile then turned back around. Just as he had grabbed ahold of one of her pigtails to give it a yank the teacher got up and caught him messing around with her again.  
  
The teacher just shook her head with her eyes closed. "Mr. Kou, do I even have to say it to you too?"  
  
"No mamma, I know, detention."  
  
  
  
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"I'm going to spend the rest of my life in detention if this keeps up!" Usagi threw her bags down on her desk. She took a glance around the room and saw that she was the only one there. "Great, this is going to be even longer than usually if I have to be in here alone." She remembered the fact that Seiya had detention too. "Yeah right, he'll probably skip out and have his manager write him a excuse or something."  
  
"Oi Odango!" Seiya waved as he walked in the room.  
  
"Glad you could make it." Usagi mumbled not sparing the sarcasm.  
  
"Aww, stop it, you're gonna hurt my feelings! Besides, it's your fault I'm in here!" The room was empty but he still insisted on taking the seat right next to Usagi.  
  
"Yeah right, like I asked you to pull my hair!"  
  
Seiya had to laugh at the face she was making it was absolutely priceless. He sat back and put his hands behind his head in a relaxing position. "Well at least we know we'll never be in detention alone!"  
  
They sat there a while waiting for the teacher to come. "And she yells at me for being late!" Usagi huffed. "So how was your date with Suzaki?" He hadn't said anything about it to her or anyone else all day and with a girl like that anyone would be curious.  
  
"Repulsive." Seiya said not taking his body from the position it was in. "You could have warned me about that chick if you knew her, you're as much to blame in this one as Yaten is. Trust me, he's getting his later!"  
  
Usagi just laughed at him, she could only imagine the torture he had been put through last night. She didn't think Suzaki knew about 'personal space'. "Well there are other fish in the sea!"  
  
Seiya looked over at her and then around the room to make sure they were still alone. He leaned over closer to her so that he didn't have to speak to loudly. "Do you really think that it's right for a senshi to date a normal person?"  
  
The question threw Usagi off guard and she didn't quite know how to answer it. "You know, I've thought about that before. I mean what if Mamoru and I broke up, how would I be able to explain my being Sailor Moon to anyone I date or maybe even end up being married to?"  
  
"Yeah, that's just it. But my problem is a little bigger." Seiya made extra sure that no one was around before he continued. "How would I explain to them that I'm actually a girl?"  
  
Usagi had never thought about that, she had always just thought of Seiya and Fighter as the same person and really didn't think about the gender difference. "I guess you shouldn't tell them."  
  
"How would I have a relationship with some one and keep that kind of secret from them?" Seiya had backed up now, anyone could over hear their conversation from here on in.  
  
Usagi just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't have to worry about that problem she had Mamoru. "I don't know what to tell you, but if the person really loves you I'm sure they'll understand, I mean it's not like it's something you're going to come out and tell them on the first date, ne?!"  
  
Seiya laughed. "No, I guess you're right." The teacher still hadn't shown up yet. "So, ten minute rule will be in effect in a minute."  
  
"What's the ten minute rule?" Usagi asked scratching her head.  
  
"When the teacher doesn't show up within the first ten minutes of class then you get to leave."  
  
"I've never heard of that before."  
  
"I just made it up, let's go!" He grabbed her hand and bag and pulled her up out of her seat. The slyly made their way out of school and were soon on the road.  
  
"Wow, everyone is going to be so surprised to see us there so early!" Usagi exclaimed as she skipped down the road with Seiya towards Crown. (No Seiya wasn't skipping, I wouldn't make him do that. Yaten maybe, not Seiya!)  
  
Seiya laughed at how happy she was to get out of detention, he was too. "So Odango you were thinking about breaking up with Mamoru huh?" Some how he had got stuck carrying her bag too.  
  
Usagi stopped in her tracks. "What?"  
  
"You said earlier that you when you thought of breaking up with Mamoru."  
  
"I was speaking hypothetically!" She blurted out.  
  
"Well then hypothetically I still have a chance!" He said as he opened the door to Crown for her.  
  
Before Usagi could respond she was met by the gasps of her friends. They were indeed surprised to see her there that early. Usagi forgot about her argument with Seiya and sat down beside Minako. "How did you guys escape the evil hand of school detention justice?" Minako asked making some over dramatic gestures.  
  
"Ten minute rule!" Usagi piped up.  
  
"What's that?" Makoto asked.  
  
"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you!" Usagi crossed her arms as she remembered that Seiya had just made it up. Seiya in turn laughed at her.  
  
"Since it's Friday night you'd better have a hot date lined up." Yaten spoke from across the table to Seiya. "Since the ones that we've picked out for you haven't worked out maybe you should ask some one on your own." Even though he had just said that he was still thinking of possible contenders.  
  
"Alright!" Seiya said with an overly pleased expression on his face. Yaten and Taiki got scared as he got so excited. All of the girls leaned in closer to listen to see who he was going to ask. "Hey Usagi, you want to go out with me tonight?"  
  
Complete face fault on everyone's behalf as Seiya sat there beaming. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not dating you!?"  
  
"Hey it was worth a shot!" He laughed at how flustered he had made her and so did everyone else.  
  
Usagi actually felt bad about turning him down though. She had remembered all of the things that she had read while in his subconscious and how much he did actually love her. But she shouldn't go out with some one out of pity! It was true that she would admit that she was physically attracted to him but she would never admit that it could be emotionally too. She had always thought that he looked better than Mamoru, but he wasn't her Mamo and that was the problem.  
  
"I know!" Yaten threw his hand up in the air doing an almost Minako like pose.  
  
"Hey cut that out! I have that move copy righted!" Minako pulled him down.  
  
"You can go out with Hanishi! I'll go and call her right now, don't make plans because you're going out with her at 7!" Yaten said as he ran off.  
  
Seiya just brought his hands up to cover his face and sighed.  
  
"Hey, has anyone seen Kakyuu?" Taiki asks. Everyone shakes their heads. "I thought she was supposed to be going to school with us?"  
  
Everyone looks up at author. * Sorry guys, I actually forgot about her. I promise I'll bring her back. geesh if looks could kill! * 


	13. thriteen

Part XIII  
  
Kakyuu (see I promised I 'd put her in!) sat alone at the kitchen table when she heard some one come home. "Hello?" She called out into the other room. Seiya walked into the kitchen when he heard Kakyuu's voice. "Oh, you're home early." She commented as she poured him a cup of tea.  
  
"Yeah, well I guess I'm just not cut out for this dating thing." He accepted the cup and thanked her.  
  
"You do realize that they're not going to let you out of this until they think you're over Usagi."  
  
"I know. Where are they?" He just now realized that Kakyuu must have been home by herself.  
  
"Taiki actually had a date and I have no idea where Yaten is, probably following poor Taiki." Kakyuu shook her head at the thought of Yaten's head popping up from behind some bushes with camo paint on.  
  
Seiya laughed because he too had the same thought. Soon he was on his feet again and searching for the phone. "Hello? Is Oda. I mean Usagi there?" It felt weird to say her name like that.  
  
Usagi's mother was on the other end of the phone. "Mamoru is that you?" She asked.  
  
That one hurt and made Seiya wince. "No mamma, this is Seiya." He replied hesitantly.  
  
"Oh hello, no Usagi isn't here, she actually left a little while ago to go to only god knows where!"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I'll tell her you called. Ja."  
  
When Seiya hung up the phone he looked over at Kakyuu who was just shaking her head at the table. "What?"  
  
"You called her as soon as you got in the door from going out on a date with another girl, you don't think that is a little weird?"  
  
"No." Seiya said as he put his jacket on and walked out the door.  
  
It was getting cold out now that winter was coming and if you didn't wear your jacket out the wind would cut right through you. It was already dark and not many people were in the park that night and maybe that's why he spotted Usagi sitting on the bench so easily. "Odango? What are you doing here?"  
  
Usagi looked up at him with a smile. "Nothing, I just like to come here and watch the moon."  
  
Seiya took a seat next to her and turned his eyes up to see what she was admiring. It was truly magnificent and he could easily see why she would want to come here and stare at it. Usagi looked over at Seiya as she watched him look up at the round orb. She found herself studying his facial features and thinking how nice they looked bathed in the silver moonlight. He must have felt her staring at him because he asked what was wrong.  
  
"Nothing. I was just thinking."  
  
"Odango, I have a favor to ask you." Seiya continued to look at her, she seemed to be fiddling with a ring on her finger. "Will you do it?"  
  
"Depends on what it is."  
  
"Will you come and hang out with me next weekend so that I don't have to get set up on anymore of these stupid dates?" Usagi wasn't expecting that one. "I mean it wouldn't be like a date or anything, I know how you feel about that, it would just be two friends hanging out. You're the only one who hasn't been trying to set me up and I just need a break from it and if they see that I already have plans maybe they'll leave me alone." It was the truth, he wasn't just trying to think of excuses to get her to come over.  
  
"I wish I could but I can't." Usagi looked down again at the ring she was playing with.  
  
"Why not? I told you it was only a friend thing."  
  
"No, that's not it. I'm going to America next weekend. I'm going to be staying there for a week actually. Mamo doesn't have classes because there it is some holiday called Thanksgiving, since he is coming home at Christmas time he didn't want to come home for this holiday too so I decided to go there and see him." Usagi looked up from her ring to see Seiya's face. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you can find some one else to do that with."  
  
Seiya looked down at his watch and faked surprise. "Well look at the time, I've got to go! See you at school Monday." He called as he began running off in the night.  
  
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"We couldn't set him up on any dates this weekend, we were all too busy with practice, but next weekend is a different story!" Yaten snickered.  
  
Yaten, Taiki, Makoto, Ami, Minako and Usagi were all sitting around enjoying their lunches, well actually Usagi was enjoying everyone's lunch. "Where is Seiya?" Usagi asked as she sampled some of Ami's lunch. She was actually scared to try Yaten's, she wasn't sure if he had made it himself and didn't want to take the chance.  
  
"I don't know, probably trying to pick up some girl before we set him up with one again." Yaten noticed Usagi looking at his lunch with displeasure.  
  
Seiya was picking up girls now? For some reason this actually hurt Usagi. 'Why would I care if he's trying to pick up girls? It's not like I'm with him or anything.' She thought to herself.  
  
The days went on, Monday Seiya had a date with another questionable girl that Yaten had set him up with. Usagi found herself picking apart every little thing that was wrong with her. Was she becoming jealous? No.  
  
Tuesday Seiya had a date with an intellectual girl that Taiki and Ami had set him up with together. Usagi thought about how much smarter and sophisticated this girl was than her. Why was she comparing herself to the girls Seiya was dating. Was she becoming jealous? No. well.  
  
Wednesday Seiya had a date with a sports oriented girl that Minako had set him up with from the volleyball team. Usagi bet that this girl didn't snack all day long and probably took care of herself better than she did. Was she becoming jealous? Maybe a little, but it was just of the girls and what they were that she couldn't be.  
  
Thursday Seiya had a date with a girl from the cooking club that Makoto had set him up with. Usagi thought about the burnt cookies that she always made and how Seiya had imagined her handing him a bag of burnt cookies. He knew she couldn't cook. Was she becoming jealous? Yes.  
  
Friday Seiya had a date with a girl that they had all picked out. She embodied everything that the previous ones had but combined it all in one. She was great. Was she becoming jealous? Extremely!  
  
Saturday morning came and Usagi had all of her bags packed and ready to go. Haruka would be there soon to pick her up to bring her to the airport. Usagi had learned an important lesson from Ami, never tell your friends when you're actually leaving so you don't have to say goodbye. Usagi told everyone that she was leaving at three but it was really noon.  
  
A horn blew outside and it made Usagi jump out of her thoughts. She gathered all of her things and headed down stairs. "Hello Kitten." Haruka said as she took the luggage from the smaller girl.  
  
"All set?" Usagi's mother asked coming in from the living room.  
  
"Yeah, I'll call you when I get there. Bye!" Usagi kissed her mother goodbye as she followed Haruka out the door.  
  
When Haruka had finished putting the bags in the trunk she hopped in next to Usagi and started up the car. For some reason Haruka like to drive without the radio on, but for once this didn't bother Usagi. It gave her a peaceful moment to concentrate on her thoughts. She couldn't wait to see Mamoru and the 'new' man he had become but she also didn't want to leave Seiya behind to the lovesick girls of Japan. She had slowly realized that she had feelings for him over the past week and it tore her apart to see him with other girls. She knew that it was selfish wanting both of them but she couldn't help it.  
  
"This little shit thinks he's hot stuff!" Haruka's voice broke Usagi's thoughts as she noticed a bike weaving in and out of traffic. There were two people on it and the passenger, who had a very petite frame, was holding on tightly to the waist of the driver.  
  
Haruka gunned the car and she heard the engine roar as they cut along the highway coming up to the bike. The bike swerved in front of the car seemingly to egg Haruka on. It worked. No way was she going to let some little bike twerp beat her at a motor race. "Hold on Kitten." Haruka looked over at Usagi with a devilish grin and down shifted the car.  
  
Usagi's head was forced back into the headrest as the sports car went speeding by the bike. When she regained control of her head she looked over and realized that it was Seiya driving the bike. Due to the tint on Haruka's windows, he wouldn't have been able to see that Usagi was in the car, but she was sure he knew it was Haruka driving and that made this even more of a competition.  
  
Seiya dropped the clutch and sped in front again. Usagi could see that every time he used the gas the girl on the back of the bike would cling to him tighter and force her body up against his. This made Usagi even more jealous and now she didn't even want to get on the plane, she wanted to stay here and protect Seiya like he had asked her too.  
  
The race was soon over as Seiya got off at his exit and Haruka congratulated herself. "That little shit is nothing compared to the great Haruka!" She laughed evilly as she pulled up to the airport.  
  
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Usagi's vacation with Mamoru was soon coming to an end and this was her last day with him. They were sitting in his dorm room while Usagi got her things together to leave. She had actually had tons of fun coming to America and hanging out with Mamoru. As she had thought he was a totally different person and she liked it. She would hang out with him every day if he would stay like this but the problem was she knew she could never fall in love with him if he would stay like this.  
  
"Do you mind if I don't write to you every single day like I have been? It's hard to find the time." Usagi didn't know how he would react to this but she wasn't that worried.  
  
"I would have thought you had plenty of time in detention!" He laughed at her and she had to join him. "But seriously, no I don't mind. Actually there was something I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
Uh oh. people just don't say that kind of thing when some one is about to leave to go home. "Oh yeah, and what would that be?" Usagi asked already knowing it wasn't good.  
  
Mamoru laughed. "Well I think we can both say that I've changed a bit."  
  
"Are you going to break up with me?" Usagi asked putting her suitcase to the side.  
  
"Usagi, don't act like this is a big surprise or something. I know you've been having the same feelings as me." Mamoru tried to defend himself. "I wasn't sure if this was what I wanted so I decided to wait and tell you after we got to spend some time together again. Now that we have I realize that it wouldn't work out."  
  
"What do you mean you know I was having the same feelings?" It was true but how did he know about what she was thinking? She had never told anyone.  
  
Mamoru walked over to his desk and pulled out a stack of letters rubber banded together neatly. (This is Mamoru of course we're talking about here!) "Read these letters you sent me and tell me if you find one that doesn't mention Seiya Kou's name in them." He tossed the lump of letters on her lap. "I'm not mad, I understand because the same thing happened to me."  
  
Mamoru sat down on the bed next to Usagi who just looked at the letters in shock. Mamoru had figured out her heart before she did. "But what about our future? What about Chibi-Usa?" Usagi's voice was pleading.  
  
"I knew the time would come when I would have to confess." Mamoru put an arm around Usagi which she quickly slumped off. "There is no Chibi-Usa, there never was."  
  
"WHAT!!" Usagi looked like she had just stuck her finger in an electric socket. "Then how do you explain that little girl with pig tails that calls herself our daughter?"  
  
Mamoru took a deep breath in and began the story. "Chibi-Usa's name isn't Chibi-Usa. She is Ami's daughter from the future. Sailor Pluto came to me before Chibi-Usa came to tell me that you would fall in love with some one else in the future and that we wouldn't be together. It broke my heart to hear this and so I thought of ways to keep you with me. I asked Pluto to find a little girl that I could pretend was my daughter so that you would see that we had a future together. When she did I put her hair up like yours. That is also why I originally broke up with you back then. I was still so hurt from hearing this news that I couldn't face you." Usagi was crying by now.  
  
"I can't believe you and Pluto lied to me all of these years." She sobbed. "That can't be true, how could that girl transform and use the silver crystal?"  
  
"She could transform because she was a senshi and that wasn't a real silver crystal, it was just a hunk of gem. Those were her powers. If you and I actually had a daughter she wouldn't have been a senshi. Only two senshi's can create a new senshi otherwise the sailor crystals would just keep being reborn. Think about it this way, at least you get to see that little girl you fell in love with in the future." Mamoru tried to comfort her, but she really didn't seem that upset, more pissed.  
  
"I don't understand. How can two senshi's create a child when they're all female?"  
  
Mamoru gave Usagi a twisted look. "They're all females? So who is this Seiya Kou guy you've been talking about?"  
  
Then it hit Usagi. The Lights. That means that Ami had a child with one of them in the future. Usagi smiled as she could only imagine Ami with Taiki and thought of how perfect they were together. "I'm still amazed that you figured out what was going through my head before I did."  
  
"Why? Don't tell me you just figured it out?"  
  
"Yeah, actually I did. Right before I came here." She laughed at the irony of it. "Everyone was trying to hook him up with these girls so that he would forget about me and I got really jealous and that's when I realized."  
  
Mamoru laughed. "That's pretty funny. I hope you get back before he finds Ms Right. Come on your plane is going to be in soon." He picked up her suite case and turned back around to face her. "You know, if he's as great of a guy as you say he probably won't be around forever. Don't let him slip through your fingers."  
  
Usagi looked up at him. "It's really weird talking to you about this kind of thing."  
  
Mamoru once again laughed at her. "Well we'd better get used to it, you're going to have to give me a lot of girl advice when you get home."  
  
Usagi smiled at him and nodded her head. "I'm glad to see you got rid of that nasty green blazer!"  
  
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	14. fourteen

Part XIV  
  
"You can't park that thing here!" The parking attendant screamed at Haruka.  
  
Haruka began to laugh as she tilted down her sunglasses and shot a grin to the guy. "You'd better watch it or I'll park this 'thing' right up your."  
  
"Haruka! Come on, we have to meet Usagi." Michiru grabbed her arm and started leading her away.  
  
"Hey!! Get back here!"  
  
Haruka turned from the direction she was walking in and started with the guy again. "Have it cleaned and waxed for me when I get back!" She had her hands cupped around her mouth to shout to him.  
  
Michiru gave the poor guy a smile and he got huge hearts in his eyes as he began to float in love. "You just have to be nice. You attract more with honey than vinegar!" She lectured Haruka.  
  
"That guy can bite me!" Haruka didn't like to be told what to do, well not by anyone besides Michiru. "What time is her flight supposed to come in?"  
  
"What?! You don't know? You were the one who was supposed to know that kind of thing, why did you say we had to leave for the airport right now?" Michiru was shocked to say the least. Haruka had just pulled her away from her painting to drag her to the airport and she didn't even know what time they were supposed to be there.  
  
"I told you it was time to go because Kitten called me and told me her flight was in now." Haruka was walking determinedly towards the baggage claim.  
  
"You mean she was already here and she's been waiting for us?!"  
  
Haruka put her hand behind her head and laughed nervously. "H_A_R_U_K_A!" Usagi screamed from across the lobby.  
  
"Hi Kitten." She was still laughing trying to ease Usagi's anger.  
  
Haruka soon found herself with a face and arm full of luggage as Usagi threw her bags at her and walked along with Michiru. "Usagi what time did you tell Haruka your plan was coming in?"  
  
Usagi thought to herself for a minute and then started laughing in much of the same manner as Haruka had just been. "Oops, I guess I never told her when my plane was coming in!" Michiru face faulted and Haruka just laughed.  
  
When the three exited the airport they saw the same parking attendant from before waxing Haruka's car and cleaning the windows. Michiru smiled but Haruka almost threw Usagi's luggage at the poor guy. The attendant opened the door for Michiru to get in but Usagi just climbed in over the door. Once Michiru was in the attendant got down in a proposal position on one knee in front of Michiru and handed her a rose. Before the poor guy could get up Haruka smacked him in the face with Usagi's largest suitcase and pretended it was an accident as she put it in the back and drove away leaving the poor guy stunned on the ground with little stars floating around his head.  
  
"Do you really think that was necessary?" Michiru asked Haruka once they got going. It was a nicer day then when Haruka had brought Usagi to the airport and therefore had the top down.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Haruka began to play dumb. "I told you it was an accident!"  
  
Usagi laughed from the back seat. Haruka shot Usagi a smile in the rearview mirror. Michiru turned around, having enough of Haruka she started a new conversation with Usagi. "How was Mamoru? Is he enjoying studying abroad?"  
  
"Oh yeah, he loves it!" Usagi had a huge smile on her face. "He almost seems like a totally different person, and I don't mean that in a bad way. He's outgoing and more sociable than the Mamoru you knew."  
  
"That's great Kitten!" Haruka didn't want to be left out of the conversation. "Hey, by the way did I tell you I found out who that little punk was that was trying to race us on the bike that one day when I dropped you off at the airport?"  
  
"No, who?" Usagi brought herself up between the two front seats to hear Haruka a little better.  
  
"It was that shit Seiya." Haruka got a very cocky look on her face as she brushed her nails against her shirt to polish them. "Ah yeah, I'm the greatest and now he knows!"  
  
Michiru rolled her eyes. "Oh paallleease!"  
  
"Speaking of Seiya, after I drop my luggage off at my house could you bring me over to his apartment. I wanted to see them."  
  
"That's no problem." Michiru smiled back at her.  
  
"What why would I want to go there?!" Haruka looked at Michiru instead of the road. Michiru's eyes went wide as she grabbed the wheel to keep them from going off the nearby cliff.  
  
"God Haruka keep your eyes on the road!" Michiru moved herself back to her seat.  
  
"How can I watch the road when I have a beautiful Michiru next to me?"  
  
"Not now!" Michiru pointed at Usagi.  
  
"I don't know why you can't just admit that you like him." Usagi was pushing the cuticles back in her nails but caught the death stare that Haruka was giving her. "What? I didn't mean like him like him, I meant like him like you know friends!" Her hands were quickly up in front of her to defend herself.  
  
"I guess I don't mind him as much as I used to. All of the Starlights just get on my nerves. I just don't like those girls that dress and pretend to be guys."  
  
Michiru cleared her throat quickly before holding a mirror up in front of Haruka. "What were you saying about girls that dress and pretend to be guys? I didn't see you correcting that girl that hit on you in the grocery store today."  
  
"Well that's different!" Haruka was getting flustered and was glad that they finally reached Usagi's house.  
  
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"What? You got beef?" Yaten walked up to Taiki sticking his chest out.  
  
The two were just coming out of their apartment and were waiting for the elevator down the hall. "You're pathetic, you know that?" Taiki was shaking his head at the shorter guy.  
  
"All I'm saying is that if Wonder Woman had to wear that leotard all of the time she'd be flying over the city with a giant wedgy in an invisible jet and everyone would see her tan line! The damn thing wasn't supposed to be a thong!" Yaten was trying entirely way too hard to prove this irrelevant point. Taiki had to laugh at the stupidity of it all. "What the hell are you laughing at?"  
  
"I can't believe that you're picking apart Wonder Woman's outfit when all of the men on the show wear tights anyway."  
  
"I know, they obviously didn't have a good costume designer. I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing! They should have gone with something a little more like ours!" Just as Yaten finished his asinine statement the elevator doors opened and there stood Usagi.  
  
The two Light's eyes went wide when they saw her. "Uh. Hi guys." She said stepping off of the elevator.  
  
"U-Usagi. W-what are you doing here?" Taiki stammered.  
  
"I just got back from America and thought I'd stop in a see Seiya. Is he home?" She asked looking down the hall.  
  
"Um. No he isn't actually." Yaten answered very quickly trying to obstruct her view of their apartment door.  
  
The elevator doors opened up and Taiki offered to let Usagi on first. "We were just going to see the others if you want to ride with us." He said with a bit of a nervous sweat to his brow.  
  
Usagi sensed that something wasn't quite right and glanced down the hallway again to see what they were trying to keep her from. The Light's apartment door opened to let out a girl, a very attractive girl and then Seiya followed. They were laughing and talking but she couldn't make out what they were saying. When Seiya finished locking the door he threw his arm around the girl's shoulder and they walked down to the other end of the hall and around the corner.  
  
"Woo. I thought for sure they were going to see us!" Yaten exclaimed.  
  
"Who was that?. And what would it matter if they saw us or not?" Usagi asked confused.  
  
"That was Seiya's new girlfriend. Cute huh? We actually didn't even set him up with her, he hooked up with her on his own." Yaten explained.  
  
"But why would it have mattered it they saw us or not?" Usagi was impatient and the fact that Yaten wasn't helping her situation made her even more steamed.  
  
"Seiya told us that he was over you, just to be sure we didn't want him to see you while he was with his girlfriend. He's been spending every free moment he has had with her, I think he really is finally over you and his little crush." Taiki said looking down the hall where the two had disappeared.  
  
"That's great." Usagi choked out. 'His little crush?' Was that all she turned out to be? "You know what guys I'm actually pretty tired from my plane ride I think I'll just head home. Tell the others that I'll catch up with them later."  
  
"Alright, see ya later!" Yaten yelled as he got on the elevator.  
  
"Hey, wait! Hold that for us!" Taiki called after him.  
  
"Not until you admit that I'm right!" Yaten was yelling through the small crack in the elevator doors.  
  
"Small chance in hell!" Taiki said walking up to the doors which shut in his face just after he finished speaking to Yaten.  
  
Usagi had to giggle at him despite her current situation. "Don't worry, there is another elevator."  
  
"I know, that little twerp just gets on my nerves. Would you like a ride home? Yaten won't get very far. I have the keys!" Taiki indeed produces a set of keys from his pocket.  
  
"No thanks, I think I'll just walk." They get on the elevator.  
  
"I thought you just said you were tired though?"  
  
"Do you have to read into everything?" Usagi was getting annoyed at the fact he wasn't letting her out of this. The elevator doors opened to show Yaten tapping his feet in the lobby.  
  
"What took you so long?" He asked looking at his nails.  
  
"Well if you had held the door for us we would have been here sooner huh?!" Taiki said right up in his face.  
  
"You know what? I think I will take that ride home after all." Usagi said to Taiki as they exited the apartment building. Surprisingly Yaten was actually nice and let Usagi have shotgun. Usagi and Yaten waited on the other side of the car for Taiki to unlock the doors.  
  
Taiki got in the car and only unlocked the passenger door. Yaten started banging on the window. "Hey, stupid you forgot to unlock my door."  
  
Usagi and Taiki were already in and putting on their seatbelts. Yaten continued to bang while Taiki started the engine. "Are you going to let him in?" Usagi asked seeing Yaten get more and more frustrated through the glass.  
  
"Nope, he needs some exercise." Taiki said as he put the car into gear and took off leaving Yaten on the curb. Usagi just laughed at his misfortune and never thought that Taiki had it in him.  
  
Usagi found herself staring at Taiki. She was searching his face to see any similarities between himself and Chibi-Usa. She didn't see any but then she thought about it and didn't really see any similarities between Chibi-Usa and Mamoru either. It was a hopeless task.  
  
The park was on the way from the Light's house to hers and they were just passing it when Usagi asked Taiki to pull over. "I don't really feel like going home now after all. I think I'll just walk around the park for a bit."  
  
"Alright, I'll see you later. I think Rei was planning a dinner for you tonight to welcome you home. I'll have her call you or something, but if it was supposed to be a surprise don't tell them that I told you OK?"  
  
"Alright." Usagi nodded her head and turned to walk away after shutting the car door.  
  
A feeling of complete stupidity came over her as she realized she let the perfect guy slip through her fingers. 'That other girl is so lucky, I can't believe that I was that dense.' She continued walking through the park towards her house still thinking about the whole situation. 'I wonder if he writes in gold when he thinks about her?' As she finished this thought she started to break down and cry.  
  
Usagi ran as fast as she could to the phone booth by the street. She needed to talk to some one, she needed them to tell her what to do, how to fix this. She got in the booth not even bothering to close the door behind her, put her calling card in and started dialing tons of numbers.  
  
"Mamo?" Usagi cried into the phone.  
  
"Usako? Is that you?"  
  
"Yeah. I was too late."  
  
"What do you mean? Why are you crying? What happened?" Mamoru was actually very scared for her. He knew that she had just gotten home a little while ago and couldn't understand what would upset her so quickly.  
  
"It's. Seiya. He found some one else, he has a new girlfriend. it's not me." Usagi slumped down in the phone booth and continued to sob.  
  
"Usako. Everything is alright. I'm sure it's probably just another set up from Yaten or Taiki, don't worry. Hey, if it makes you feel better, I'll always love you!"  
  
"Thank you Mamo. I love you too." Just as Usagi wiped her tears away and spoke these words Seiya passed by the phone booth on his way home from his girlfriend's house.  
  
'She still loves her Mamoru.' He thought to himself as he shoved his hands deeper in his pockets and continued on his way to his apartment.  
  
Usagi hung up the phone, feeling a little better and headed home.  
  
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"Where's Yaten?" Minako asked as Taiki walked in by himself.  
  
Taiki got a devilish grin on his face as he sat down next to Ami. "He's on his way, I'm sure."  
  
"Where's Seiya?" Rei asked as she knew that Minako wouldn't be interested in knowing where anyone but Yaten was.  
  
"He's out with his girlfriend. Usagi, Yaten and I saw them leaving our apartment just before I came here." He explained while quickly solving one of Ami's super difficult math problems easily.  
  
"Usagi's back already?" Makoto asked. "She must have come in on an earlier flight than what she told us so that we wouldn't be able to go and meet her."  
  
"Maybe, but you know what's really weird?" Taiki looked up from the math problems to pay full attention to the group. "It seemed like Usagi got upset when she saw Seiya walk out with his girlfriend."  
  
"Why would Usagi get upset from seeing that?" Rei asked. "She has Mamoru, she can't keep leading Seiya on."  
  
"She wasn't leading him on." Ami broke into the conversation. "Usagi never did anything to lead Seiya on, she always told him that she would never date him and that she loved her Mamo!"  
  
"Geesh, sorry Ami!" Rei apologized and backed away a bit. "It just came out, I wasn't trying to make her sound like that."  
  
"I'll call Usagi's house and get the full scoop on it." Minako says as she picks up the phone. She dialed the numbers, waited a bit and began to speak. "Hello, is Usagi there?".. "Thank you anyway. Bye." She put the phone down. "Her mother says she dropped her bags off when she got home and then took off again."  
  
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Usagi eventually got home and made her way up to her room. "Minako called for you a little while ago." Her mother shouted up the stairs.  
  
"OK!" Usagi answered with no intention of calling her back. She couldn't tell anyone what happened. They would all just think how stupid she was for thinking that Seiya would wait for her and that she broke up with Mamoru. 


	15. fifteen

I know, I know, this is really weird because I usually don't put notes at the beginning of my chapters but this is a special occasion I guess. I just had to let you know that this chapter was not done alone, my friend Usagi Kou helped out and added some parts. I just didn't want to take all of the credit ^_^ !  
  
Part XV  
  
"Aren't you at all curious as to what this chick looks like?" Minako asked Makoto as they walked down the halls of the mall.  
  
"No, I really don't care. Besides, I don't see why I had to change to come with you." Makoto commented while looking down at herself.  
  
Minako had made Makoto use the Luna disguise pen to change her into a guy. Seiya definitely would have known that they were just following him if he saw Minako and Makoto, but if Makoto was in disguise then he would just think she was out on a date.  
  
"You make a better guy than I do!" Minako winked at her. There was no way she was going to turn herself into a guy, gross!  
  
Makoto just threw her hands up in the air, she knew there was no use talking to Minako about it and wondered how she got sucked into this whole scheme anyway. Taiki had told Ami who told Rei who told Minako that Seiya was taking his girlfriend to the mall today. Minako had found it quite amusing and decided to follow him to catch a glimpse of her. Seiya never brought his girlfriend around and the only people who had ever seen what she looked like were Taiki, Yaten and Usagi. They hadn't spotted any signs of them yet but Minako was far from giving up.  
  
A small man in a trench coat was following the two unbeknownst to them. He was wearing a Dick Tracy style trench coat and an old 30's hat with big Blues Brother's sunglasses. He was really a sight and caught the attention of just about everyone that passed him by except Minako and Makoto of course. Those two were entirely way too caught up in their 'mission'. The man would occasionally pull out a mini-recorder and talk into it.  
  
"Star date December 4th. Operation: Minako Aino's date. Time: evening 7:00. Setting: the mall. Minako's date, in one word, dork. This guy has no fashion sense at all, who cut his hair? Harry the blind barber? Hideous! The guy walks like a fairy, you'd think he was a girl in disguise or something! Wait a minute, I guess I can't really criticize him on that one." The little man begins to laugh to himself. He's bobbing and weaving behind people, trees, signs and garbage cans. "Is that a unibrow I see? God, pluck that thing! Some one should definitely tell this guy that tight pants are not in! Talk about wedgy!" Makoto shot a glance back over her shoulder for no reason in particular. "Few! The tall dumb ass almost spotted me. God only some one totally desperate would date this guy! But then again, he may be smarter than I am, he may not live with two other guys, and it obviously looks like he isn't afraid to approach the beautiful goddess Minako." The little man begins to whimper to himself and the microphone. "Just face it Yaten, you're too late, she's gotten over you! You had your chance and you blew it! Why did you have to be so mean to her all of the time? Maybe you would have felt better if you knew Seiya was going to live with a broken heart with you but no, now you have to do it all alone!"  
  
The small man, who turned out to be Yaten, stopped suddenly as he realized that there was no point in following her anymore. Just as he came to his abrupt halt a woman crashed into the back of him dressed much in the same manner as he was. There was a tangled pile of hats, sunglasses and large trench coats on the ground as the two tried their best to get up. Yaten looked at his assailant and realized who it was. "Kakyuu!! What are you doing?" He stopped helping her up when he noticed.  
  
Kakyuu laughed a bit and saw no reason to put her disguise back on. "I wanted to see what you were sneaking around for." She held up his mini- recorder. "How much does this tape mean to you?" She asked as she waved it in front of him.  
  
"Give that back." Yaten got a terrified look on his face as he clumsily grabbed and reached for the small device. "Kakyuu I'm warning you!"  
  
"You're warning me what?" Kakyuu laughed at him again and pretended to think about the situation. "I'll give your tape back, but here's the deal. You will be my slave for the rest of the week and at the end of the week I'll give your tape back."  
  
Yaten was frustrated but knew that he had no other choice. Perhaps he would try to steal it back when she slept but until then he said that he would go along with her deal. "You two are pathetic!" Taiki came up behind them.  
  
"I don't know what's on that tape but it must be pretty good if Yaten agreed to be your slave." Ami joined in the teasing while still laughing at them.  
  
"You have to promise me you won't let anyone else hear that tape either, especially you-know-who!" Yaten held his hand out to make the deal with Kakyuu.  
  
"Agreed." She said and they shook hands sealing their deal. She turned her attention to Taiki and Ami. "What are you two doing here?"  
  
"We thought that it was amusing that Minako and Makoto were following Seiya on his date, the fact that Yaten was following Minako because he thought that Makoto was a guy, and the fact that you were following Yaten to see what the shrimp was up to!" Ami and Taiki knew the entire time about everyone's plans and just decided to tag alone to see how it all worked out.  
  
"Well I guess they'll get to see Seiya's girlfriend tomorrow at the show. I guess he said she's coming." Taiki said picking up his bags. "I think he's even going to dedicate a song to her."  
  
"That should be a hoot!" Yaten exclaims (who says hoot anyway?) with a disgusted look on his face. He was still contemplating the fact that it was Makoto in disguise.  
  
  
  
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Class was extra boring this day as Yaten sat and yawned at the teacher's lecture. They were listening to their teacher go on and on about how these reports that they were doing before Christmas break were soooo important and to pay close attention to everyone's presentation because they would be on a quiz.  
  
The first person up was the guy that sat next to Minako in class. Yaten envied him but it always came out as him being rude to him or making snide remarks. The kid's presentation was on the police using psychics to help solve crimes. "The psychic woman was so involved in the investigation and following the track of the young 'ghost' boy that she ran out into the road and got hit by a car before she could tell the investigators who the killer was."  
  
"Betcha she didn't see that one coming!" Yaten mumbled to himself. The teacher shot him a dirty look as the class all laughed at him, including Minako who turned around and shot him a smile. Yaten smiled inwardly to himself for the fact that he could actually make her smile.  
  
Class was soon over and the class began to filter out into the hallway. Yaten followed Minako who was walking with Usagi to her locker. "Hey guys, wait up!" He called after them.  
  
Usagi and Minako turned around to see Yaten running up to them. "I never thought the day would come when I saw you take any pace besides a casual walk!" Usagi commented as he got closer.  
  
"Well I was going to ask you if you wanted tickets for the show tomorrow, but now I don't know if I'm gonna." He turned his back to them with his arms folded and his nose up in the air.  
  
"Oh please!" Minako begged. "Apologize to him right now!" She turned and threatened Usagi.  
  
Usagi cowered under Minako's iron fist and gave in. "I'm sorry that you're lazy Yaten." She smiled while she said it.  
  
"Well coming from you I guess that's good enough." He snorted when he looked at Usagi. He didn't have to be nice to her all of the time now that Seiya wasn't standing up for her anymore, and he knew she knew it too. "So, how many do you want? Five?"  
  
"No you can make it four." Usagi chimed in. "I don't really feel like going, I think I'm going to stay home." She commented before turning around. "I hope you have fun though and good luck!" She said as she walked off down the hall.  
  
"That's weird." Minako commented standing with the also stunned Yaten. "It's not like Usagi to want to sit home instead of going out."  
  
"Maybe she'll be waiting for a call from Mamoru." Yaten suggested as he handed Minako the tickets. Just as he finished his sentence he received a huge smack on the back.  
  
"What's up squirt?!" Seiya came up behind him.  
  
"That freaken hurt!" Yaten tried his best to rub the sore spot on his back.  
  
"What are those?" Seiya pointed to the tickets in Minako's hands.  
  
Minako gave him a confused look. "Uh, you should know. They're tickets for your concert tomorrow night."  
  
"Great, are you all coming?" Seiya smiled at her.  
  
"Um no. Usagi isn't, she said she was going to stay home." Minako replied as she thought about her friend's weird response again.  
  
"You know, I'm really proud of you the way you don't flirt with her in class any more. Don't you think you're taking it a little too far though? I mean you don't talk to her at all, and you haven't talked or hung out with her in a while." Yaten said to the taller guy. It was true, Seiya and Usagi hadn't spoken a word to each other besides polite conversation like 'good morning' since she got back from America.  
  
Minako had noticed the point to but wasn't about to say anything to Usagi about it. Usagi didn't act like anything was wrong and she figured that they had just grown apart. "Well she doesn't talk to me either so it's not like it's my fault!" Seiya said in a huff, you would almost think that he was upset about it.  
  
"I wouldn't talk to you either if you blew me off the way you do to her now." Minako stuck up for Usagi since she wasn't there.  
  
Without another word Seiya just stormed off and headed towards his next class.  
  
  
  
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"Are you sure you're not going to come with us? I'm sure Yaten will give you a ticket if you show up. Look he even gave us backstage passes to come and see them after the show." Minako held the pass out in front of her to show it off to Usagi.  
  
They were all sitting at the shrine waiting for Makoto to come and pick them up. "I'm going to stay here with Yuuichiro and hang out." Usagi smiled and looked over at Yuuichiro.  
  
"What the hell are you two going to do?" Rei hissed.  
  
"I told Usagi that I would make her dinner and rent a couple of movies." Yuuichiro blushed as he told Rei about his plans.  
  
"WHAT!!" She shouted out right in his face.  
  
"What are you so mad about? I make you dinner every night." He commented with his hand behind his head.  
  
"Never mind!" Rei turned and went outside to wait for Makoto.  
  
"She does really like you you know. She wouldn't get so mad if she didn't. Trust me, I'm used to it by now." Usagi smiled at Yuuichiro reassuringly.  
  
BEEP BEEP!! Makoto pulled up and everyone said their goodbyes to Usagi and Yuuichiro and left.  
  
  
  
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"What do you mean she's not coming?" By this point Kakyuu was visibly pissed.  
  
"She had a family emergency and can't come. What do you want me to do about it?" Seiya was putting the rose on his jacket.  
  
"Am I ever going to get to meet this girl?" She had her hands on her hips looking at him impatiently.  
  
Seiya chuckled as he saw that Kakyuu had calmed down a bit. "Yes, you will meet her one day."  
  
Taiki and Yaten came into the room together. "So are you all ready?" Yaten asked Seiya who was reclining in the dressing room chair by now.  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"I don't know, I thought you would try to look extra good tonight because your girlfriend is going to be here. All of the girls are so excited to finally meet her." Yaten explained himself a little more.  
  
"Well I guess they're just going to have to wait a little longer because she's not going to be able to make it tonight." Seiya sipped his water.  
  
"WHAT!" Yaten yelled. "Minako is going to kill me, I promised them they could come back stage and meet her."  
  
"Calm down, I'm sure they would have wanted to come back stage anyway." Kakyuu told him.  
  
During the concert you could tell that Seiya was singing half assed and the others knew that it was because he was depressed about his girlfriend not being able to make it there. The rest of the night was pretty much uneventful until in the middle of the concert Yaten asked everyone for their attention. "Everyone please, I have an announcement to make." You could tell that neither Taiki nor Seiya had any idea what was going on. "I just wanted to tell everyone that Kakyuu Kou is the most beautiful and talented woman in the entire world!" He said loud and clear through the microphone.  
  
Kakyuu stood back stage cheering and jumping up and down. Taiki and Seiya looked back at her and laughed as they knew that this must have been part of Yaten's slave for a week duty. She had made him do all sorts of things today. She was taking full advantage of this opportunity.  
  
After the concert the girls went back stage only to find Yaten and Taiki sitting in the dressing room with Kakyuu and their manager. "Where did Seiya go?" Rei asked looking around.  
  
"He said he was going to go and check on his girlfriend." Taiki said toweling off his forehead. (That was not intended to be funny.) "Do you guys want to get out of here?"  
  
"Yeah!" They all said. They had to fight their way into the dressing room tooth and nail through the crowds of screaming fans.  
  
"We can all go back to the shrine and hang out with Usagi and Yuuichiro." Rei offered up.  
  
"You just want to go back there and see what their up to." Minako poked her in the side.  
  
Rei's face turned red. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about how you were nervous leaving Usagi and Yuuichiro alone together. Why don't you just admit that you like him." The teasing continued.  
  
"What? Are you crazy, do you really think that I like that guy?" Rei threw her arms up in the air.  
  
Everyone answered in unison. "Yes."  
  
"Well I wasn't nervous about leaving Usagi alone with him, she has Mamoru remember?" 


	16. sixteen

Part XVI  
  
Christmas break was here and this was the last day of school. "Wow, for once you weren't late for school!" Minako commented as she walked in to find Usagi already in her seat.  
  
"What are you talking about? I haven't been late for class in a long time!" She huffed as she had been proud of the fact that she had tried hard but Minako hadn't noticed.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure detention just isn't the same without you and Seiya there. Come to think of it, since the teacher moved him he hasn't gotten detention lately either." Minako looked over at Seiya's empty seat all the way across the room from Usagi. "Hey, you've seen his girlfriend right? What does she look like?"  
  
Usagi was already boiling in her seat at the fact that Minako had brought up the point that her and Seiya didn't hang out like they used to and now she was just going to twist that dagger in even further. Before she could even respond to Minako's hurtful question Seiya walked in the class and took his seat. Usagi knew that Minako wouldn't expect her to answer her question while he could hear them so she was off the hook.  
  
The period soon started and so did the snow. By the end of the period the ground was completely covered in a thick blanket of wintry-white. An announcement came over the PA system telling the students that they were dismissed early due to current weather conditions. They got a chance to start their winter break early.  
  
"So Usagi what are you doing now that we don't have to be here?" Ami asked walking up behind her with Taiki.  
  
"I don't know, I obviously didn't plan on having anything to do right now. What are you doing? I'm up for anything right about now!" She smiled at her friends.  
  
Taiki leaned over in front of Ami to answer her question for her. "Since the weather is bad our rehearsal will certainly be cancelled tonight and we were going to see if everyone wanted to come over to out apartment."  
  
Usagi didn't answer immediately so Ami added some words of encouragement. "Oh come on Usagi, it's going to be fun, besides you don't want to be stuck at your house all by yourself do you?"  
  
"That's alright, I don't mind being by myself. Actually I think I'm just gonna head home. I'm going to get some sleep, I have to pick Mamoru up at the airport tomorrow with Haruka." Usagi said looking down at her fingers that were now naked without Mamoru's engagement ring on her hand.  
  
"Are you sure?" Ami looked at her curiously.  
  
"Whoohoo!" Minako came running up behind the group. "Yeah! So what's the plan for the day?" She was way too excited to be getting out of school early. Without realizing it they had stopped by Yaten's locker.  
  
Yaten and Makoto soon joined the group, Yaten had already known about the plan to have everyone over since he was in the same class as Taiki and Ami. "Minako if you're going to come over today you have to calm down!" Yaten warned her.  
  
"Shut up shrimp!" Kakyuu came up slapping him in the back of the head. She still hadn't give the tape back to him yet and she held it over his head every chance she could. "Now apologize!"  
  
Yaten gave Kakyuu the devil look then turned to Minako. "I'm sorry Minako, I hope you'll come over today."  
  
Minako was amazed at what power Kakyuu had over Yaten and was amused that she had been using it lately to make Yaten be nice to her. "Thank you Yaten, you're forgiven." She gave him a big hug, hey might as well get away with it while she could, ne?  
  
Usagi saw Seiya approaching and quickly finished up her conversation. "Yeah, I'm sure Ami. You guys have fun! I'll see you later. Don't forget to call me to make plans for the winter light's festival!" She quickly turned and headed off in the opposite direction that she saw Seiya approaching from.  
  
"That's weird." Minako said as they watched Usagi walk down the hallway away from them.  
  
"What's weird?" Seiya asked as he tried to see what they were talking about.  
  
"Oh nothing." Minako smiled and waved it off. "So are you going to bring your girlfriend over today? We're all going to your house."  
  
"You're ALL going to come over today?" Seiya looked a little nervously around him. "I was actually planning on surprising her by going to see her since I got out of this hell hole early. So sorry, I won't be able to make it to your little shin-gig."  
  
  
  
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"Seiya really treats his girlfriend right huh?" Rei asked Kakyuu while they were making hot chocolate in the kitchen.  
  
"I don't know but it seems like he does. He spends every waking minute he can with her. But you know Seiya, he's a sweet heart and I could never see him doing anything to make a girl not like him." Kakyuu smiled at her thought.  
  
"Do you think he told her about him being a senshi?" Rei was putting the mugs on a tray to bring out to the living room.  
  
"I don't know, but if he did already I think it's a pretty good sign if they're still together." She laughed as they walked in to the other room.  
  
"Usagi must be happy not to have him flirting with her all of the time!" Rei laughed with Kakyuu.  
  
"Who's flirting with Usagi all the time?" Yaten asked picking up on the gossip.  
  
"Seiya." Kakyuu answered.  
  
"Oh." Is all that Yaten replied.  
  
Minako looked at him and began speaking. "I don't think she minded it that much. I mean, she did still hang out with him and thought of new ways to knock him down every time!"  
  
"That's another thing, I'm sure he's happy not to be rejected every day of his life now too." Kakyuu said just before she slapped Taiki's hand. He was trying to steal the marshmallows that Kakyuu had put in her hot chocolate. "I'd expect that from Yaten or Minako but not you Taiki!"  
  
  
  
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"It seems that everyone is happy except for us!" Kakyuu muttered as she sat with Makoto and Rei in a corner booth at Crown.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Rei asked not really paying attention.  
  
"I mean everyone has found some one to be with except for us. Taiki and Ami hooked up, Seiya and his girlfriend and Usagi and Mamoru. and whether they want to admit it or not, you know Yaten and Minako are going to hook up any day now!" She sighed when she finished.  
  
"Speak for yourself!" Rei said standing up to leave. "I have a boyfriend who's actually making me dinner right now!" Rei put her jacket on and left a wide-eyed Kakyuu sitting with Makoto.  
  
Once Rei had left Makoto felt the need to explain. "Rei finally agreed to go out with Yuuichiro. I guess he wasn't as bad as she had thought he was. Thank god she made him get his hair cut though!"  
  
"Have you found a date for the festival yet?" Kakyuu asked.  
  
"No, I'm not going. I was actually planning on staying home and baking some Christmas cookies, it's just around the corner you know!" Makoto winked at her.  
  
"WHAT!!" Kakyuu was once again shocked. "That damn festival is tonight and I was counting on you to be dateless too so that I wouldn't have to be the only one there without a date!" Her head fell heavy on the table and the noise it created caused everyone to turn their heads to stare at her. When she picked her head up she noticed the stares. "Yeah go ahead, chuck it up. Come on everybody stare at the dateless wonder!" She shouted at the people while standing on the table.  
  
Makoto pulled her down to sit by her. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. I don't think that the people we know are going with dates. The girls are all going together and I don't even think they planned on meeting up with the Lights. The outers are having a party tonight also, so I think they're going to cut the festival short. That's why I was making cookies, for their party."  
  
This was a load off of Kakyuu's mind but she still didn't want to go to the festival. "Do you need any help baking?" She offered up.  
  
"No." Makoto answered. "But I could use the company!" She smiled as Kakyuu nodded.  
  
  
  
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"Thank you for driving us here Mamoru." Ami spoke up from the crowded back seat. It was only her, Rei and Minako back there but in the small sports car it was a bit cramped.  
  
Usagi sat up front in the cushy, comfy shotgun seat. "No problem. It's freezing out, I can't believe you girls were planning on walking." Mamoru looked in the rearview mirror while he spoke back to her.  
  
They soon arrived at the Festival of Lights. (No it's not a Jewish thing, it's just a Christmas light show) There were light sculptures all around and the entire walk down the pathway was lit with arches of small white lights. The entire scene was set up through the park. There were vendors off to the side in their heated little booths.  
  
The snow crunched beneath their feet as they walked down the path. "This is great!" Usagi exclaimed. The others hadn't seen here this happy in a while and assumed that it was just because Mamoru was back.  
  
"Oh wow! Look at that over there Usagi!" Minako said while pulling on her jacket.  
  
"I have to have one of those!!" Usagi went along with Minako's excitement. The pair ran off to the nearby vendor to look at the kawaii stuffed animals.  
  
"Will those two ever change?" Mamoru says while shaking his head.  
  
"No." Rei and Ami reply in unison.  
  
They walked ahead a little further, they were sure that Usagi and Minako would be able to find them easily. "You know, I think it's really great the way that yours and Usagi's relationship held up even over such a great distance. You guys seem as happy as ever." Rei smiled at Mamoru.  
  
"Uh. Rei. What are you talking about?" Mamoru stops and turns to her.  
  
Rei looks at him puzzled. "I'm talking about your relationship with Usagi, stupid. What else would I be talking about?"  
  
Mamoru was a bit put off by being called stupid but let it slide to clear up the matter at hand. "What relationship? Usagi and I broke up remember?"  
  
Ami and Rei's mouths both drop open simultaneously. "WHAT!!" They yell and gain the attention of just about everyone around them.  
  
"Shhh. I take it she didn't tell you?" Mamoru questions trying to figure it all out.  
  
"Who didn't tell who what?" Usagi asks as her and Minako come skipping back from the vendor.  
  
"Nothing!" Rei says quickly figuring that she must have a reason for not telling them. "What happened to your butt?" She spun Usagi around and pointed to the giant wet spot.  
  
Minako started to die laughing hysterically. "She fell down and almost knocked herself and these really cute guy out!"  
  
"Shut up Minako!" Usagi hissed as her mood took a bad turn.  
  
"What the hell is so funny?" Yaten asked coming up behind the hyena Minako.  
  
Seiya and Taiki soon joined his side as they greeted everyone. Minako tried to can the hysterics and explain what had happened. But she couldn't get it out before Usagi started talking. "Mamoru I'm going to go home and change, I'll meet you at the outers house. I'll get a ride there with Makoto and Kakyuu or something OK?" She asked but started to walk away before he could reply.  
  
"Alright." He said. He knew he couldn't take her home because he was the only one with a car and the outers house was entirely too far away to walk to, especially in this weather.  
  
"Usagi, wait, I'll walk you home." Taiki said coming up behind her. Usagi smiled and nodded at him. He couldn't have just let her walk home on a dark and cold night like this.  
  
"Hey, do you guys want to come to the outers house with us?" Minako asked directing her comment more to Yaten than Seiya.  
  
Yaten looked at Seiya who shrugged his shoulders. "Sure I guess."  
  
"Well let's get going, it's too freaken cold out here!" Rei complained. "Shotgun!" She called out and raced Minako to the car while the others sweat dropped.  
  
They all piled into Mamoru's car. Rei sat up front, Ami, Seiya and Yaten sat in the back who was forced to have a very smiley Minako sit on his lap. The ride began and there was no conversation.  
  
"So Seiya, how's your girlfriend?" Mamoru asked into the back seat.  
  
Seiya began to fidget in his seat. "Fine." He laughs to himself. "I guess you're pretty happy that you don't have to worry about me chasing after YOUR Odango any more."  
  
Mamoru was once again confused and this showed on his face. He was just about to correct Seiya when he received a painful pinch in the leg from Rei in the front seat. "OWW!" He cried and looked over at Rei who was giving him the ictsney on the Usagi-sey look.  
  
  
  
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"Thank you for walking me home tonight, you didn't have to you know." Usagi said looking at the snow falling on the ground.  
  
"It was my pleasure." Taiki smiled at her. "How long is Mamoru staying in town for?"  
  
"Just for break, he leaves in January." Usagi continued to stare at the snow.  
  
"It must be hard for you to be so far away from him, you must miss him a lot." Taiki commented, he was actually thinking about how he would feel if Ami was studying abroad in America.  
  
"Hey Taiki?" Usagi turned her gaze over to the taller man. "Can I trust you with a secret?"  
  
Taiki nods his head but looks shocked. "Sure."  
  
"Mamoru and I broke up when I went to go and visit him in America." She waited to see his reaction to this news.  
  
Taiki face didn't turn more shocked but actually eased up a bit. "That's a relief!" He sighed.  
  
"What? Why?" Usagi was confused to say the least.  
  
"I thought you were going to tell me that you were pregnant!" Taiki laughed at his mistake.  
  
Usagi laughed a little bit with him too and they were soon at her house. Usagi invited him in while she changed. When she finished changing she joined him downstairs in waiting for Makoto and Kakyuu to come and pick them up.  
  
"I wish you had broken up with Mamoru sooner. We would have had the perfect person to set Seiya up on a date with!" He laughed at the irony of it.  
  
"Me too." Before Taiki could register this a horn sounded from outside signaling that Makoto and Kakyuu were there. "Well there's our ride!" Usagi jumped up and grabbed their coats. 


	17. seventeen

Part XVII  
  
"Where would you even see an anvil?"  Yaten commented on the show him and Minako were watching.  Everyone was hanging out, talking and listening to music but these two were just sitting on the couch watching cartoons.  
  
"I guess some people just like to carry them around in their pockets."  Minako didn't once take her gaze off of the screen.  
  
"Yeah, I guess.  But seriously, why would the animator of this show pick an anvil of all things to drop on some one's head?  And they use them a lot too."   
  
"I think you're reading a little too much into this."  Minako sweat dropped as she looked over at him.  "Who knows, maybe his father owned an anvil company or something and it was a promotional tactic?  You said yourself that they weren't that popular, so maybe he was trying to jazz up the family business!"  
  
"Now I think you're reading too much into this!"  Yaten saw how excited she was in the fact that she thought she had figured out the whole anvil mystery.  
  
Seiya had over heard most of the conversation but still decided to sit on the couch with them.  "Yaten you never cease to amaze me with the idiotic comments that just continuously pour out of your mouth."  He smirked at Yaten who was at the other end of the couch.  
  
"I guess I could say the same thing about you!"  Yaten mumbled back as he turned his attention back to the show.  
  
"I see you and Haruka still aren't getting along that great."  Minako said when she finished laughing at Yaten's pissy mood turn.  
  
"Who knows with her, I mean seriously, what have I done to her lately?  Come to think of it, what did I do to her at all?"   
  
"Well, I seem to remember Usagi telling us about how her and Haruka caught you about to undress Michiru in her dressing room after a show."  Minako smiled at him.  Seiya blushed as he remembered the incident.  "Don't worry, we'll keep it a secret from your girlfriend."  
  
"Gee, thanks."   
  
"Alright everyone, let the fun begin!"  Kakyuu yelled as she burst through the door.  She looked like a giant red marshmallow in her red winter jacket and her arms flying around in the air.  
  
Once you looked past the spectacle that was Kakyuu you could see Makoto carrying a rather awkward stack of containers holding all of her precious baked goods.  She hadn't trusted anyone else to carry them so had to do the dirty work by herself.  Taiki and Usagi were bringing up the rear and it seemed as though Usagi's mood had brightened up a bit with the help of Taiki.  
  
"Oi Kitten."  Haruka came over and took her jacket for her.  "I'm amazed that Makoto even has any snacks to bring over seeing how they rode the whole way in the car with you!"   
  
Haruka was joking of course but Usagi got a steamed face.  "She slapped me!"  
  
"What?"  Haruka looked back at her in disbelief but then saw Taiki about to burst with laughter.  
  
"She."  Usagi pointed at Makoto and by now everyone was paying attention.  "Smacked me!"  She pointed back at herself.  "I just wanted one and she flipped out and smacked me!"  
  
"It was pretty funny seeing how Makoto was driving.  She was trying to steer the car with her feet while taking care of Usagi with both of her hands."  Taiki explained the situation a little more but barely getting any of it out between his constant laughing.  Usagi shot him a you're-gonna-pay look and he immediately stopped.  
  
The night went on and after dinner everyone found themselves breaking off into their separate cliques.  "Usako?"  Mamoru asked her when he noticed they were the only ones in the kitchen.  "Why didn't you tell anyone that we broke up?"  
  
Usagi looked down at the floor but when she picked her face up she almost looked on the verge of tears.  "I don't know."  She mumbled out.  
  
Mamoru looked at her confused.  "I've known you for how long now?  Do you really expect me to buy an excuse like that?"  
  
Usagi got a half smile on her face as she was once again reminded of how good of friends her and Mamoru really were.  "I guess I just didn't want everyone to see how stupid I was."  
  
"What?  How stupid you are?  What are you talking about?  You're not stupid."  Mamoru's face grew concerned.  
  
"Yes I am.  I knew that Seiya loved me and I just kept pushing him away and then when I finally came to my senses and realized just how much I loved him back it was too late.  And to make matters worse, everyone would have thought that I had dumped you to be with him and probably would have just laughed at me even harder."  She was visibly upset and staring at the floor.  
  
Mamoru felt horrible for her and understood her situation even if he knew that her friends would never have done that to her.  He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her in close for a comforting hug.  "Shhh. it's alright."  He said as he held her.  
  
Usagi didn't say anything at first and tried hard to fight back the on coming tears.  A few moments went by and they finally broke their embrace.  "I don't want to upset anyone else."  Usagi said lifting her head up to look around to make sure no one else had seen them.  
  
"Don't worry about it."  Mamoru said while wiping some stray tears from her cheeks.  "Can I ask you something though?"  Usagi nodded her head in approval.  "I you still love him so much, then how come I haven't seen you to talk even once tonight?"  
  
"I guess we just grew apart."  Usagi's eyes began to dry up a bit but her depression sank a little lower in trying to remember how they had drifted apart.  "Ever since I came back from America and he had found his girlfriend he just didn't seem to have the time for me anymore.  I was a little upset that he could spare one of his precious moments on me and so I figured that I wouldn't waste any of mine on him."  
  
"That doesn't sound like you."   
  
"I know, but I was confused and that was the simplest way to avoid being tortured by the fact of the matter everyday."  
  
Mamoru showed her a smile.  "But you know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What happens if he breaks up with his girlfriend down the road?  You two will be like nothing more than strangers that share the same friends.  Would you really want that either?"  
  
Usagi chewed on that thought for a minute and realized just what she was doing.  Pushing away the one person that she loved more than anything else.  
  
"Damn it!"  Yaten yelled coming into the kitchen.  "Who left the plate of my favorite cookies in front of Piggy Usagi?"  
  
Usagi looked down at the plate of crumbs in front of her and realized that she had eaten the entire thing during her conversation with Mamoru.  She giggled slightly when she looked up at Yaten's angry face.  Laughter could be heard emanating from the living room.  
  
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Christmas was in a few days and the girls hadn't quite finished their shopping yet.  The mall was over crowded and it was like a wrestling match trying to break through the tense shoppers.  Usagi, Minako, Rei, Ami, Makoto, Kakyuu and Taiki were out together.  It was hard to keep a group that size together but they tried their hardest.  
  
"This is impossible!"  Kakyuu grumbled as a little kid once again kicked her.  "I have an idea!"  She shouted as they tried to make their way into a store filled with patrons.  
  
The others just looked at her like she was crazy but she had gotten used to it by now.  "Hey, look everybody!  It's Taiki from the Three Lights!"  She had her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify her voice and talk over the chattering.  
  
Taiki immediately sweat dropped and looked at Ami for help but then at Kakyuu.  Just before he was about to pounce on her and strangle her he was bombarded with an onslaw of teenaged girls.  
  
"I know I'm gonna pay for that one when I get home."  Kakyuu shook her head but waltzed into the cleared store.  She heard laughter coming from behind one of the racks and decided to take a peek.  "Yaten?"  
  
Yaten was dying laughing with one of his classmates behind the rack of CDs.  "That was great!"  He continued his laughing.  "He's gonna kill you when we get home!"  
  
Kakyuu smiled as she knew Yaten had seen her brilliance in action.  "I know, I'm great!"  Yaten was at the mall with the guy Kakyuu had been trying to hook up with forever.  
  
"I didn't know you were cunning and beautiful."  The kid said as he smiled at Kakyuu.  
  
Kakyuu blushed at the compliment and was about to ask him if he wanted to get something to eat with her when Yaten broke in.  "What?  You think she's cunning and beautiful?!"  He laughed.  "Oh please!  She just gets lucky sometimes."  
  
Kakyuu started fuming, turned and walked off.  The girls saw her storm past them and to the sales counter.  "Kakyuu what are you doing?"  Minako asked her tapping her on the shoulder.  
  
"Minako, go ask Yaten to borrow a dollar."   
  
"OK, why?"  Minako was confused to say the least but complied with what she had asked of her.  
  
"Sir, could you do me a favor and play this tape?"  Kakyuu asked the man behind the counter.  She gave him one of those hypnotizingly beautiful smiles and he couldn't resist.  Kakyuu made her way back to where she had left Yaten and saw Minako asking him for a dollar.  "This is pay back squirt!"  
  
Yaten looked confused until he heard his voice booming throughout the store.  
  
"Star date December 4th. Operation: Minako Aino's date. Time: evening 7:00. Setting: the mall. Minako's date, in one word, dork. This guy has no fashion sense at all, who cut his hair? Harry the blind barber? Hideous! The guy walks like a fairy, you'd think he was a girl in disguise or something! Wait a minute, I guess I can't really criticize him on that one.  Is that a unibrow I see? God, pluck that thing! Some one should definitely tell this guy that tight pants are not in! Talk about wedgy!  Few! The tall dumb ass almost spotted me. God only some one totally desperate would date this guy! But then again, he may be smarter than I am, he may not live with two other guys, and it obviously looks like he isn't afraid to approach the beautiful goddess Minako.  Just face it Yaten, you're too late, she's gotten over you! You had your chance and you blew it! Why did you have to be so mean to her all of the time? Maybe you would have felt better if you knew Seiya was going to live with a broken heart with you but no, now you have to do it all alone!"  
  
Yaten looked totally mortified as everyone in the store stared at him in utter disbelief, especially Minako.  Yaten turned timidly to look at her reaction and only caught the blur of a red bow as she tackled him to the ground.  "Hmm. We'll have six kids, and live by the ocean and and ."  She was going on and on while he just held his head and groaned.  
  
"That's what you get for trying to embarrass me squirt!"  Kakyuu smiled down at him.  "Now, as I was saying, would you like to get a bite to eat with me?" 


	18. eighteen

Part XVIII  
  
The group watched Minako tackle Yaten to the ground and couldn't help but laugh. Kakyuu was already steps away from them arm in arm with her classmate. A bruised and beaten Taiki made his way back to them barely holding himself up. "Can we PLEASE go home now?" He asked practically begging Ami.  
  
Ami looked around at everyone's faces to see what the general consensus of the group was but when her eyes landed back on Taiki's she knew she really didn't have a choice in the matter. "Alright, we can go." She patted him on the head like a little child and grinned. "Is anyone else coming with us?"  
  
"I can't, I still haven't gotten what I came for." Usagi said looking into her bags.  
  
Everyone else seemed to agree that it was time to get out of this meat market they called a mall and head home. "Yaten are you coming?" Taiki said struggling to look back over his shoulder.  
  
Yaten was still pinned down on the floor by an enthusiastic Minako. "YES!! Please help!"  
  
"No way! I didn't see you running to my aid!" Taiki turned his back on him.  
  
Yaten huffed and for once in his life acted like a civilized human being. "Minako, will you please calm down and get off of me?" He asked in the politest manner he could muster up.  
  
Minako's eyes went wide and did as she was asked. Yaten's eyes also went wide as he realized how well that actually worked out. "Do you want to get going with these guys?" She asked standing up.  
  
Yaten was still at a loss for words at the way Minako had just calmed down and did what he asked when he was nice to her. "Uhh. Sure. but I have to get something before we go." He walked over to the counter where the clerk was still drooling over the thought of Kakyuu and took his tape back. "Now it's no holds barred!! She's got nothing on me!" He smiled to himself as he shoved the tape into his pocket and returned to Minako's side. "Ready?" He asked putting out his arm for her.  
  
Minako nodded and graciously accepted the gesture. The rest of the group just watched in awe but soon followed. "Usagi, give us a call when you get done with your family tomorrow OK?" Makoto called to Usagi who was already heading off in the direction of the last store she needed to go to.  
  
Usagi turned and waved to show that she had heard and understood what Makoto had just told her. She only had one place left to stop and then she could retire from this relentless battle of shopping. "Stupid procrastination!" She cursed herself as she walked down the halls.  
  
As it turned out the store that held her last item for her father was mobbed and it had taken her forever to get in and out with one simple purchase. By now the streetlights were on and the stars were starting to come out. The sidewalks were shoveled leaving piles and banks all along side of them. The snow began to fall lightly and this caused Usagi to stop for a moment to stare at the falling crystals. There was no wind so it seemed like a peaceful serene moment. Standing under the streetlight made the snowflakes appear to sparkle with a life of their own.  
  
Usagi sighed and looked around. All around her were strangers and she had hoped that there was some one that she knew here to share this wonderful experience with her. Everyone was caught up in the hustle and bustle of the moment and didn't take the time to notice the beauty falling all around them. Soon Usagi realized that she wasn't getting home any quicker by just standing around admiring the scenery so she once again set off towards her house.  
  
When she turned however, Usagi saw a familiar face sitting in the bookstore window. "Seiya?" She questioned into the air. He was sitting alone on a couch near a stack of books engrossed in a novel. Figuring now was as good of time as any to rekindle their friendship Usagi shrugged and ventured into the bookstore.  
  
As Usagi goes to push her way into the door a man appeared on the other side and held up a set of keys. "Sorry Miss, but we're not allowing anyone else in the store. We'll be closing shortly and only the customers that are currently in the store may stay." He said before locking the door shortly after.  
  
Usagi's face fell as she turned around and slumped home after taking one last look at Seiya through the window.  
  
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Seiya walked into the apartment and walked straight to his room. Taiki and Yaten were on the couch and watched the whole thing. "How was your date tonight?" Yaten called.  
  
"Fine." Seiya said just before closing his door for the night.  
  
Taiki turned to Yaten with a puzzling look on his face. "Did Mamoru say anything to you guys that night he drove you to the Tomoe house?"  
  
"No, why?" Yaten asked intrigued by Taiki's question. Why would Taiki be asking something like that about Mamoru?  
  
"He didn't say anything about Usagi?"  
  
"No, why? Would you just stop playing this stupid guessing game with me and tell me already?!" Yaten was a man of little patients and he was showing just how bad he could be at this moment.  
  
Before Taiki could ease the little man's tension the phone rang and Yaten felt obligated to pick it up. He was always nosey and wanted to know everything that was going on. Now that he and Minako had joined forces the gossiping world was in for a treat! "Hello?. What?. No way!. She did not!. Stop!. Where is she now?. I don't know, why would I?. WHAT!!!." Yaten hung up the phone slowly. "Minako just blurted out a whole bunch of stuff then hung up the phone."  
  
"Well what did she say, you seemed pretty damn into the conversation." Taiki sat up straighter on the couch.  
  
"First she sat that Kakyuu ended up getting wasted at Makoto's house after the mall, then she passed out and they all drew on hers and Rei's faces with marker. I guess Kakyuu went to the bathroom to wash it off and disappeared. Now they don't know where she is and were wondering if she came back here." Yaten was telling the incredulous story with almost a straight face until Kakyuu burst through the door singing Christmas carols. "And there she is!" Yaten held his hand out in a 'ta-da' fashion.  
  
Kakyuu made her way over to the couch and passed out ready to sleep for the night. "What was that?" Taiki asked looking down at her.  
  
"Anyway. as I was saying the last part that Minako blurted out before she so rudely hung up the phone was that Mamoru and Usagi broke up!" Yaten said getting up off of the couch that Kakyuu was drooling on.  
  
"I know! That's what I was asking you about before she called!" Taiki said closing his book. He spotted Yaten walking towards Seiya's room and stopped him. "What are you doing?" He asked looking back over the couch.  
  
"I'm going to tell Seiya, he'll love this one!" Yaten was smirking.  
  
"What are you talking about? Seiya won't care, he has a girlfriend now remember? This news won't mean anything to him." Taiki turns back around and tries to make Kakyuu a little more comfortable on the couch.  
  
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It was now Christmas Eve and everyone was running around doing their last minute shopping. Everyone that was including Usagi. She had thought she was all done but little did she know that her mother would send her out on last minute earns instead of letting her sit around the house sipping hot chocolate like she had grown accustomed to. At least she only had to go to the market.  
  
Usagi walked down the crowded streets not really paying attention when the same bookstore that she had seen Seiya in the night before caught her eye. Just to humor herself maybe she walked towards it to catch a glimpse in through the big glass window. To her surprise she saw exactly who she was looking for.  
  
"I can't go in there! What excuse would I have for going in a bookstore?" She was speaking out loud to herself in the middle of the sidewalk when she realized just how crazy she looked. "Dummy, it's Christmas, say you're buying a gift for Ami or something!" With that in mind Usagi charged into the bookstore not to be deterred by a pushy salesman this time.  
  
Usagi made her way through the store over to the couch she had seen Seiya reading on ALONE. She paused a moment before she casually sat down next to him. 'What do I have to be afraid of?' She thought to herself. 'You have to be afraid of the rejection that you're about to get, again.' "Good book?" She asked when she realized that he hadn't noticed her.  
  
Seiya looked up from his book with a surprised smile on his face. "Odango?. What are you doing here?"  
  
'See it's a good thing you came up with a plan of why you were here!' "Oh nothing, I had to pick up a last minute gift for Ami. I was actually on my way to go and get it when I saw you sitting here and decided to stop and see you. Do you want me to leave? Oh that's right you're probably here with your girlfriend. I'll go." Usagi started getting up to leave. 'Man! I can't believe I didn't even think of the fact that he'd be here with his girlfriend!'  
  
Seiya caught Usagi by the wrist as she was getting up letting her know that he didn't want her to leave. "Odango." He begins and by now Usagi is completely engulfed in the moment. "Can you keep a secret?"  
  
"Of course I can!" Usagi smiled back at him.  
  
"Well this is kind of weird and I don't want you to think I'm a weirdo or something but. I don't really have a girlfriend." He said nonchalantly.  
  
"WHAT!!" The entire bookstore turned around and looked at the wild girl that was Usagi.  
  
"Calm down. I just told everyone that so that they'd get off my back and stop setting me up on dates. I never had a girlfriend."  
  
"What about that girl Taiki, Yaten and I saw you with coming out of your apartment?" Usagi recalled the incident near the elevator and cringed a bit.  
  
"Oh that, well that girl lived in the building and she's blind. Her seeing eye dog was at the vet and I had offered to take care of her for the day. I put my arm around her so that she wouldn't run into anything. She's actually pretty funny when you get to know her." Seiya laughed when he remembered some of the things that girl had come up with.  
  
"What are you doing here then?" Usagi looked around herself.  
  
"I've been coming here on my 'dates'." He signals little quotation marks in the air with his fingers. "I figured reading a book is a good way to kill time and it looked like I'd have plenty of it on my hands." The two shared a good laugh together as Seiya's whole plot was coming together.  
  
"I get it now. You really had all of us fooled!. Say, Seiya?" Usagi smiled at him as she immediately felt their old friendship again and was much more comfortable around him now that she knew he didn't have a girlfriend. "What are you doing in a little while?"  
  
"You're looking at it. I told Taiki, Yaten and Kakyuu that I was going to an all day holiday film festival with my 'girlfriend'. Why what did you have in mind?"  
  
"Well instead of going to an all day film fest with you 'girlfriend' how about you come to my house and we can get some movies?" Usagi was proud of herself that she had come up with that so quickly.  
  
"Sure!" Seiya closed his book and stood up. "That sounds great." Usagi stood up with him and they proceeded to the door. "Uhh. Odango, you forgot Ami's present."  
  
"I didn't really have to get her a present I just needed an excuse to talk to you." Usagi quickly covered her mouth as she had not planned on revealing that to him. Seiya laughed and they continued to walk.  
  
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Usagi's parents were gone by the time she had gotten home, she had taken a little longer than she had planned and figured that her family must have already left for her Aunt's house. "Make yourself at home, I'm sure you remember where everything is." Usagi called into the living room from the kitchen.  
  
When she came back into the living room she set down two cups of steamy liquid and popped the movie in the VCR. Just as she sat down the phone rang. "Hello. Hi Mamo. Nothing just watching a movie. Maybe some other time, Seiya's here and we're hanging out. I know. Thank you. Ja!"  
  
Seiya sat on the couch with a shocked look on his face. He couldn't believe that Usagi had just refused to hang out with Mamoru because he was here and even more is that she told Mamoru that he was there and that's why she wasn't hanging out with him. "Odango, if you want to go out with Mamoru I'll understand." He said politely trying to conceal his shock.  
  
"No, he'll get over it. Besides I'm sure Motoki is just sitting home itching to get out." She said casually watching the movie. She forgot that Seiya didn't know that she and Mamoru had broken up.  
  
These words shocked him even more but also brought a smile to his face. "They want me to bring my 'girlfriend' over for Christmas dinner tomorrow night." He said referring to Kakyuu and the Lights.  
  
"Well we'll really have to surprise them and I'll go instead!" Usagi laughed at herself. "Yeah that will really surprise Yaten!"  
  
Seiya got a good laugh out of it too. "This is what I missed about hanging out with you Odango."  
  
"Yeah you know, now that you mentioned it, why did we stop hanging out? You just all of the sudden started avoiding me." By now neither one of them were paying any attention to the movie.  
  
Seiya fidgeted a little and appeared to be nervous. "Well I couldn't be hanging around you while I was trying to convince the others that I had a girlfriend now could I?"  
  
"Yeah I guess, but after they knew that you had one you still avoided me, how come?" Usagi wasn't about to let the matter drop.  
  
"Be..Because I didn't like to see you everyday with Mamoru." Seiya had a hard time looking at her. "Even though I was supposed to be pretending that I had a girlfriend it hurt me to see you with him because I still loved you."  
  
Usagi was shocked to say the least, she had thought that all of the feelings that Seiya had for her had dissipated. She was at a loss for words and did the only thing that she could. She leaned over and kissed him.  
  
Seiya was shocked by Usagi's sudden actions but kissed her back. This was the moment he had been waiting for he wasn't about to pass it up. When they broke from their kiss Seiya's eyes slowly opened. "What was that for?" He asked still in a daze.  
  
"Well I have a secret too." She winked at him. "When I went to America to visit Mamoru, he and I broke up." Before Usagi could say anything else Seiya was at her lips again.  
  
"This should really make dinner interesting tomorrow!" Seiya smiled when he backed away.  
  
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@  
  
"Why aren't you cooking?" Taiki asked Kakyuu as he watched her filing her nails at the table.  
  
"Because I'm delicate." She said blowing off the dust from her nails.  
  
"But you were the one that said you were going to do this but now some how I got stuck doing it." Taiki huffed and his oven mitts went flying across the room. Kakyuu giggled at his reaction, she just loved to get him going.  
  
"I'll help you it's alright." Ami said coming up behind him. The dinner guests were to consist of Yaten, Minako, Taiki, Ami, Kakyuu, her now boyfriend, Seiya and his mystery girlfriend.  
  
"Is he back yet?" Minako jumped up and down.  
  
"No, they should be here any time now." Yaten said peeking out the window next to her. They were both excited like small children on Christmas morning. It had been a beautiful Christmas day with snowfall and everything. Seiya had gone to pick up his girlfriend before dinner and they were waiting for them to return.  
  
"Do you even know her name?" Minako looked over at Yaten who was glued to the pane of the window.  
  
"No, come to think of it I never asked either." When he finished his statement Seiya's car pulled up in front of the apartment building. "They're here!!"  
  
Unfortunately for Yaten and Minako it was cold out and Seiya's girlfriend was bundled up to keep warm. Once they were in the house Yaten was the first to offer to take her coat. Ami and Taiki were busy getting the table all set for dinner since they were getting a late start at it. When Yaten so 'generously' took Seiya's girlfriend's coat he was startled when he noticed the 'odangos' on top of her head. 'Man, you'd think Seiya would find a chick with a different hairdo at least!' Yaten thought to himself with a half smirk on his face and he knew Minako was thinking the same thing.  
  
When Usagi turned around to greet everyone with a smile she heard silverware being dropped on the floor. The entire room stood there staring at her with their mouths wide open. "Usagi?" Kakyuu asked from the couch.  
  
"Hello." She smiled and waved like it was no big deal.  
  
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Usagi." Seiya said while trying not to laugh.  
  
"WHAT!!" Rang throughout the room.  
  
"What! Usagi is your girlfriend?" Minako asked incredulously.  
  
Seiya and Usagi nodded their heads. Yaten still didn't believe it even though they were right there in front of him. "Yeah right, you guys are just yanking our chains! If you're really his girlfriend then kiss him." Yaten figured that Usagi wouldn't do it if they weren't together and either way this would make Seiya happy.  
  
Much to everyone's surprise Usagi smiled at him and laid one smack dab on Seiya's lips. That was all the convincing they needed. 


End file.
